Clashes broke out on Tuesday morning between police forces and Copts from 15 May, which falls under the Helwan Diocese, following the deployment of a campaign from the 15 May City Council, supported by Central Security Forces, to demolish a fence surrounding a plot of land allocated for the construction of a church and services building in the “Zohour 15 May” area of the Zarayeeb district. The fence had been built as part of preparations to relocate Zarayeeb residents after flash floods devastated the old area several years ago.
According to the account of a local eyewitness, the church priest had submitted a request to build a church in the new area after residents of Zarayeeb were relocated from the flood-stricken zone following the floods of 2020. However, a small plot was initially allocated, insufficient to serve the local congregation and the planned services. A subsequent request was therefore submitted to allocate a larger area. The church proceeded to build a fence around a plot measuring 12,000 square meters of desert land, without any objection from the City Council, whose officials observed the construction of the fence until it was completed. A temporary wooden structure was then erected to hold prayers, and Copts from the area donated funds to complete the construction process.
The plan was to build a church on an area of 1,000 square meters to accommodate worshippers, as well as a community hall, a services building, a medical clinic, a nursery, and sports fields. A bell tower was also constructed at the entrance gate after the completion of the fence.
The eyewitness added: “Today we were surprised by the arrival of Central Security Forces and bulldozers to demolish the fence without prior notice. Residents came out to object to the demolition after investing significant physical and financial effort over the past period. Clashes broke out between them and the security forces, which initiated the use of tear gas to disperse the Copts. The bulldozers entered the land and demolished the fence from all four sides. The wooden structure used for religious services and some workers’ rooms inside the fenced area were also demolished.”
Police arrested a number of Copts during the protests against the demolition. The exact number has not yet been clarified. Security forces cordoned off the land following the demolition, amid widespread anger among Copts in the area.
On the other hand, an official source stated that the demolition of the fence was carried out due to the lack of building permits and official documentation, asserting that the decision was taken in implementation of the law. A Coptic resident responded to this statement by asking: “Why was there no objection throughout the months-long construction period? There was even verbal encouragement of the construction, especially during the parliamentary election period, when Copts went out to vote. Why wait until the fence was fully built for the demolition decision to be issued, causing these material losses? And why was there no negotiation or reconciliation, or an opportunity given to legalize the situation?”
It is worth noting that the old Zarayeeb area, where the Pope Shenouda III Church is located, was struck by floods in 2020, resulting in the deaths of a large number of residents, the destruction of homes, and the loss of dozens of livestock. This led to a decision to construct the Zohour area to relocate residents. As part of this project, 1,008 furnished housing units and 834 model animal enclosures were built on an area of 67 feddans, to ensure decent living conditions and provide basic services and alternative enclosures to preserve residents’ sources of livelihood. The residents were relocated in 2024.
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