Egypt Protests- New Coptic Christians In Demo Against Discrimination
Cairo, Mar 8: In a sign of simmering unrest in Egypt, thousands of Coptic Christians protested in Cairo on Monday to demand an end to the discrimination they say the minority faces.
The protesters blocked off the "6th of October" bridge before chanting anti-discrimination slogans into the night.
The crowds were also angry over a dispute between a Christian and a Muslim family south of Cairo over the weekend that resulted in the deaths of two people and the torching of a church.
Egypt's military promised to rebuild the church, but the protesters said they wanted more steps to improve the status of Christians.
Egypt's Coptic Christian minority makes up 10 percent of Egypt's 80 (m) million people but complains of widespread discrimination they say relegates them to second-class citizen status.
The Coptics complain bitterly of discrimination in building its churches and in the job market.
They also accuse the government of not confronting rising conservative Islamic prejudice in society.
On New Year's Eve, a Coptic Church was bombed in Alexandria killing 21 people, sparking days of protests. AP
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