Call for a peaceful demonstration in front of the White House

Coptic Solidarity, in collaboration with activists concerned with the conditions in Egypt and the on going attacks on the Copts, invites you to participate in a peaceful demonstration in front of the White House on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 from 10 am to 5 pm, to protest against the persecution and daily attacks on the Copts in Egypt with collusion of the Egyptian government and amidst an almost complete absence of protection and justice.

The state’s main responsibility is protection of its citizens, specifically non-Muslim minorities that need special protection and particular concern in view of the ferociousness of Islamic extremism in Egypt, the Middle East at present time.

Attacks on Copts have intensified in the past few weeks, e.g.:

• On May 12, 2016, a tent under which Copts were praying in the village of Ismailia, in Menia governorate, built with an official permit since the government refuses to issue a permit for the construction of a church, was burned down.
• On May 20, 2016 more than three hundred Muslims attacked the houses of Copts in the village of el-Karm, in Menia governorate which resulted in the burning down of 7 houses, and stripping Soad Thabet, a Christian woman, of her clothes and parading her naked in the village.
•  On June 10 2016, Muslims attacked and assailed the house of Nassef Ramzy in the farm of Dhahab, in Menia governorate on trumped up allegations that it was converted into a church.
•  On June 16, 2016, hundreds of Muslims attacked the Christian services building in el-Beda village in Amerri’a on allegations it was converted into a church. The owner was forced the leave the village, a number of Copts were arrested and kept imprisoned until they accepted a obligatory reconciliation session forced on them under pressure by the state and “Family House” Institution that belongs to el-Azhar.
• On June 19, 2019, a Muslim mob attacked Sabah Kamel Guirguis, her sister and her daughter beat them and sexually molested her daughter. She filed a report of the incident with the police, #6338 on 6/19/2016. She was threatened and coerced to accept reconciliation and to rescind her report, on pain of kidnapping her daughter.
• On June 21, 2016, an underage Coptic girl, Marina Khalaf Hanna Sharkawi,14-year-old, was kidnapped in the village of Abu Aziz, in Maragha, Souhag governorate. Both el-Azahar and the police colluded in hiding her until she is converted to Islam when she reaches maturity.
• On June 29, 2016, hundreds of Muslims in the village of Kome el-Loffy, Samallute, Menia governorate, attacked homes of Copts on allegations they were attempted to build a church. The attack resulted in the burning down of four homes of Copts and the kidnapping of, Riffka Malak Fokeih, a Copt girl, 18 year-old, in order to force the Copts to accept arbitrary reconciliation.
• On June 29, 2016, a young Copt, Romani Atef, 26 year-old, was slaughtered in front of his wife and daughter in Kalioub, while the perpetrator shouting that he is pursuing jihad in the path of God.
•  On June 30, 2016, Fr. Rafael Mossa was killed at the hands of ISIL in el-Arish, in the governorate of Sinai, because the government does not provide enough protection to Christian clergy who are targeted in this dangerous area. Before him, Fr. Mena Abduh, his fellow priest, was killed.
• On July 2ed 2016, a minor Coptic girl, Christine Asharaf Ramzy, 16 year-old, was kidnapped with the collusions of the security apparatus and el-Azhar to coerce her to convert to Islam. A police report of the kidnapping was filed, # 2553.2016, and the kidnapper, Magid Nasser, was reported.
• On July 2, 2016, Lucia el-Komos Angelos Mourad, a 15 year-old girl, was subject of slaying attempt. However, the assailant was alleged to be mentally disturbed.
• On July 4, 2016, a pharmacist Copt, Magdi Attia Ghobrial, 33 year-old, was butchered in the city of Tanta.
• On July 5, 2016, a nun, Athanassia, of Mar Guirguis convent in Old Misr was killed with bullets fired on her car which hit two other two other nuns who were with her.
• On July 7, 2016, a nursery in the farm of Farragallah, in Samallute, was burned down on allegations of attempts to convert it to a church.
• On July 9, 2016, a Muslim youth, Ahmad Adel Kamel Abd el-Aziz stabbed two Copt ladies, Magda and Soad, in Zagazzig in front of a church as he cried out Islamic shouts.
• On July 11, 2016, the Andalous Center for Religious Tolerance was closed down on allegations that it spreads false news to the effect that discrimination against the Copts exists.
• On July 15, 2016, hundreds of Muslims attacked houses of Copts in the village of Abu Yacoub, in Menia governorate, and burned down five houses on allegations that the Copts were attempting to build a church without a construction permit.
• On July 16, 2015, the church of Archangel Michael in el-Madamoud, Luxor.
• On July, 17, 2016, the family of two priests in Menia governorate was attacked and the brother of Fr. Pham Mary Khallaf was killed and three others were injured with stabbing wounds

These are mere examples that make us feel angry and saddened for what the Copts are enduring in Egypt. We therefore, invite you to participate with us in this peaceful protest against what is happening to our brethren in Egypt.

For further information and co-ordination to attend, please contact;
Magdi Khalil (202) 725-3091
Atef Jacoub (703) 655-1700
Khairi Guirguis, in New Jersey, (201) 238-7031