A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Coptic Protestors Clash With Security Forces

More trouble today in Nag Hammadi: as many as 2000 Coptic protestors clashed with security forces today as they protested last night's drive-by killings. Bear in mind that today is Coptic Christmas. Also see here.

There's some suggestion that this is an outgrowth of the earlier troubles in Farshout, when Muslim rioters burned Coptic businesses after an alleged rape of a Muslim girl by a Christian.

There is a longstanding problem of clashes between Copts and Muslims (sometimes but not always Islamists) in Upper Egypt, where a problem of ongoing vendettas between families is also established. Sometimes wild rumors lead to clashes; sometimes real events.

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