Hundreds Storm Coptic Church in Egypt

From the Wall Street Journal and the Malay Mail

CAIRO—An Egyptian Coptic Christian diocese said Saturday that hundreds of Muslim demonstrators had assaulted one of its churches.

The diocese in Atfih said the incident in Giza just outside Cairo took place after Friday prayers when demonstrators gathered outside the building and stormed it. The diocese said the Prince Tawadros church had been used for almost 15 years and had applied for a licence under a law passed last year meant to ease permits for new churches.

The demonstrators chanted hostile slogans and called for the church’s demolition, the statement said. They destroyed the church’s contents and assaulted Christians inside before security personnel arrived and dispersed them.

It also said the wounded were transferred to a nearby hospital but didn’t elaborate.