Muslims attack Coptic church, oppose expansion

AIN SHAMS, Egypt — Thousands of Muslim protestors Nov. 23 attacked a Coptic church in a suburb of Cairo, Egypt, burning part of it, a nearby shop and two cars and leaving five people injured.

Objecting to a newly constructed extension to the church of St. Mary and Anba Abraam in Ain Shams, the huge crowd of angry protestors gathered outside the church at about 5 p.m. following a consecration service for the addition earlier that day.

Chanting, “We will demolish the church,” “Islam is the solution” and “No God but Allah,” rioters pelted the church with stones and burned part of the structure; priests and worshipers were trapped inside and five people were injured.

“It was a terrifying moment,” said lawyer Nabil Gabriel, who was inside the church at the time. “They were shouting ‘holy’ slogans like, ‘We will bring the church down,’ ‘The priest is dead’ and ‘The army of Muhammad is coming.’”