Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have condemned the massacre of peaceful protesters in Egypt and Syria, and have passed a resolution this week calling for authorities in the nations to do more to protect vulnerable and targeted Christian communities.
MEPs voted by a show of hands to pass the resolution on the escalating situations in Egypt and Syria, and highlighted in particular the recent slaughter of Christians in Egypt that saw dozens massacred by government army personnel.
Reports indicate that tens of thousands of Coptic Christians have fled Egypt in the past six months. Most have left fearing for their lives as Islamic extremists attack Christian churches and residences with increasing regularity and ferocity.
Violence erupted in Cairo on October 9 when thousands of Coptic Christians gathered to protest against the burning of a Coptic church in Southern Aswan which took place on September 30. The burning was carried out allegedly by local hardline Muslims who claimed the church did not have the license for the construction of a dome.
Although intended to be peaceful, violence broke out when military personnel commenced a crackdown on the protest.
Mourners have blamed the Egyptian army for the high death toll, arguing that the Christian march was absolutely peaceful until the military started a crackdown. The ensuing clashes reportedly saw Islamic extremists join the attacks against the Christians, and even saw a military vehicle driven into crowds of protesters.
Some rights activists reported military personnel firing directly into the crowds of Christians.
“They were armed with swords, sticks and stones – some of them had rifles, it seems,” Father Rafic Greiche, official spokesman for the Catholic Church of Egypt, previously said in a statement.
“They did not have to use force. It was a peaceful demonstration,” he added.
Question marks have also surrounded media in the region, as one state-controlled TV station admitted to making up news as the Coptic Christian protest was taking place. The false report stated that Christians had attacked and killed military personnel trying to keep order; however, those reports were later proven to be false and entirely fabricated. The falsified reports are now thought to have directly attributed to the violent outbreaks and brutal crackdown by military officials and Muslim hardliners against protesting Christians.