By Worthy News Staff
WASHINGTON, USA (Worthy News)-- Coptic Christians in the United States will protest against an "increase" in Islamic attacks against Egypt's Christian minority and the "refusal" by authorities to halt the violence, organizers said Monday, December 14.
Washington-based rights group International Christian Concern (ICC), which supports the rallies, said three Coptic demonstrations will be held in several U.S. cities.
"American Coptic Christians have coordinated demonstrations to voice their concerns over the vast increase of sectarian violence toward Christian minorities in Egypt. The rallies will be held in New York and Chicago on December 14, and Los Angeles on December 27," ICC said.
"BOILING POINT"
It comes at a time when anti-Christian clashes have hit a "boiling point in upper Egypt and in villages throughout the country," ICC explained.
"The Egyptian government has refused to intervene, leaving Copts defenseless at the hands of Muslim mobs."
Egypt's government has said it wants to crackdown on Islamic extremism. However ICC said "Egypt’s government has committed grave violations of human rights by failing to protect the Coptic minority and forcing the deportation of Copts from villages where anti-Christian attacks have occurred."
The group said that the government has also ignored the abduction and incarceration of Coptic women by Muslim men, which it described as "an overt abuse on women which directly corresponds with the UN’s definition of human trafficking."
GIRLS ABDUCTED
Several Christian groups have reported an increase in abductions of Christian girls in the predominantly Muslim nation.
"These rallies will bring awareness to the flagrant rise of persecution against the Coptic Christian minority under Islamic-based coercion," said ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East Aidan Clay.
"ICC backs the American Coptic community in condemning the Egyptian government for deliberately allowing human rights abuses toward Christians to continue without penalty." Clay said the ICC has encouraged Christians in New York,
Chicago and Los Angeles to participate in the rallies.