ICC Note:
“Some 20,000 mourners chanted slogans denouncing the ruling military during a funeral procession overnight for 17 Christians killed in a Cairo protest,” The Associated Press reports.
10/11/2011 Egypt (Associated Press) – Some 20,000 mourners chanted slogans denouncing the ruling military during a funeral procession overnight for 17 Christians killed in a Cairo protest. They accused the army of bearing primary responsibility for the worst violence since Egypt’s uprising eight months ago.
Mourners packed the Coptic cathedral in Cairo for the funerals that began shortly before midnight Monday and lasted for several hours. They filled hallways and corridors as prayers were led by top church officials.
At times, the prayers were interrupted by chants of “Down with military rule” and “The people want to topple the Marshal,” — a reference to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi who heads the ruling military council that took power after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in February.
The violence Sunday night, which left 26 dead and about 500 injured, began when thousands of Coptic Christians marched to the state television building to stage a sit-in over a recent attack on a church. As they marched, state television called on civilians to “protect” the army, casting the Christians as a mob seeking to undermine national unity.
Witnesses among the protesters said the march started out peaceful but turned violent when the Christians were attacked by civilians wielding sticks, throwing stones and firing birdshot. What happened next is not fully clear. But a video circulating widely shows at least two military vehicle plowing through crowds of Christian protesters at high speed and running some of them over.
Rights activists and witnesses also say soldiers fired directly at protesters. State television claimed protesters had attacked soldiers. Clashes then broke out between Muslims backing riot police and soldiers on one side, and Christians and some Muslims on the other side. Forensic reports showed many of the deaths were caused by armored vehicles that ran down protesters, or by gunshots.
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