Coptic Churches Burnt in Egypt  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Coptic churches and businesses were attacked across Egypt today [August 14] by what was described as Muslim Brotherhood members and their supporters. The sectarian attacks followed the violent evacuation of Pro-Morsi sit-ins in the capital Cairo, in which many Egyptians were killed and injured.
On social media, many suggested that the Muslim Brotherhood has been fanning the flames of sectarianism, pitting Muslim against Christian, resulting in today's unprecedented wide-scale attacks.
The two sit-ins were for the supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood member, whose one-year reign was cut short on July 3, following massive protests calling for him to resign and for early elections.
For weeks, Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been camping in Rabaa Al Adawiya, in Nasr City, and in Al Nahda Square, near Cairo University, calling for the return to “legitimacy” or reinstating Morsi as the legally elected president of Egypt.
Researcher in the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights Ishak Ibrahim tweets [ar]:
#حرق #الكنائس حصيلة الاعتداءات ف9 محافظات: حرق 20 كنيسة ودير واحد و2مبنى خدمات و3 مدارس و3 جمعيات دينية وملجأ أطفال وتكسير ونهب7 كنائس. 10
— ishak ibrahim (@ishakassaad) August 14, 2013
The toll for today's attacks in nine governorates is as follows: 20 churches, one monastery, two service buildings, three schools, three religious societies and one orphanage were burnt and seven churches were attacked and looted
In another tweet, he explains:
استهداف الإخوان وأنصارهم للمحاكم والكنائس ومجالس المدن وأقسام الشرطة يعود بالأساس لعدم إيمانهم بالدولة والوطن
— ishak ibrahim (@ishakassaad) August 14, 2013
The targeting by the Muslim Brotherhood and their supporters of courts, churches, town councils and police stations is due basically to their disbelief in the state
The Big Pharaoh tweets:
Till now 16 churches were burned, some of them of historical significance. That's unprecedented. Last time happened hundreds of years ago.
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) August 14, 2013
He adds:
Majority of churches that were set ablaze are in Upper Egypt, where most Christians are and where MB still has considerable support.
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) August 14, 2013
And continues:
I think the magnitude and geographical spread of the attacks on Christians didn't happen before since the mid ages.
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) August 14, 2013
Fouad MD shares a photograph of a church in Sohag which was burnt today:
A photo of the beautiful historic church burned in #Sohag #Egypt today by pro-Morsy supporters pic.twitter.com/HVdRPGhRb3
— Fouad, MD (@FouadMD) August 14, 2013
Activist Dalia Ziada links the attacks on the churches to the evacuation of Pro-Morsi supporters. She writes:
Reports from Upper Egypt: Islamists launching massive attacks on churches in reaction to evacuating strikes of #MuslimBrotherhood #Egypt
— daliaziada (@daliaziada) August 14, 2013
Firas Al Atraqchi explains:
The attacks on Coptic institutions in #Egypt betrays the understanding that an Islamist government can never be inclusive. Or tolerant.
— Firas Al-Atraqchi (@Firas_Atraqchi) August 14, 2013
And Leil_Zahra Mortada notes:
You can be against #MB, and still denounce the massacre of the army and #MOI, and be against the sectarian crimes against the #Copts. #Egypt
— Leil-Zahra Mortada (@LeilZahra) August 14, 2013
In addition to churches, Coptic business interests were also attacked today. Schehtazade says:
In #Luxor, it sounds like Morsi supporters are targeting Coptic shops, hotels & people. Copt owned Horus hotel next door to ours got burnt.
— الإِسْكَنْدَرَانَيّة (@_Schehrazade_) August 14, 2013
And homes too were destroyed as Marian Kirollos explains:
My source in Delga says that 10s of Coptic houses were torched while the police remain absent.
— MK مريم (@MariamKirollos) August 14, 2013
With all the death and destruction, today remains a black day in Egypt's history. Yossra Farghaly sums up this sentiment with remorse:
I'm sorry for ever being a part of jan25….that deteriorated to reach the point we're living in right now. I'm sorry for being an Egyptian.
— Yossra Farghaly (@YossraFarghaly) August 14, 2013
On Facebook, Watani Weekly Newspaper shares a list of churches attacked in Egypt so far.