Hundreds of extremists in Kom al-Ahmar village, Samalout, Minya, demonstrated in front of the Apostolic Church in the village, after the church received an official decree to be restored and renovated as they refused the demolition and construction work, while the security forces confronted them.
One of the Copts in the village said that the Apostolic Church is serving 30 Coptic families in the village for 30 years. And because of its’ dilapidation, the church pastor got official permits to restore the legal three-story building so he went to the village Muslims to tell them the decision so that extremists don’t exploit the situation and did not find any objection from them, especially that he was worry of repeating the scenario of Kom El-Lofi village as the two villages are adjacent.
The source added: At the start of the demolition work, in the presence of Police forces, hundreds of villagers gathered and some extremists came from other villages to stop the renovation of the church, and some tried to use violence, and Police Directorate sent reinforcements to the village and arrested some of them.
The source pointed out that the demolition is pending till following-up of the situation and security condition, pointing out that what happened in Kom El-Lofi stimulated neighboring villages, especially that the state did not take any decisive act against extremists, confirming that the church obtained official declarations to build it, but extremists refuse.
