After a rumour spread in Assiut, Upper Egypt, that a Coptic middle aged man had sexually assaulted a Muslim boy, all hell broke loose in the populous al-Arbaeen neighbourhood in the city
After a rumour spread in Assiut, Upper Egypt, that a Coptic middle aged man had sexually assaulted a Muslim boy, all hell broke loose in the populous al-Arbaeen neighbourhood in the city. Hundreds attacked the Copt’s shop that sells ++falafel++—a traditional low-cost Egyptian food made of beans—and carried away the cooking instruments and utensils, the refrigerators, and even the food stuffs. They heaped them in the middle of the large square for all to see before setting them on fire. The thugs blocked the way before the fire engines which were called for rescue, and did not allow them to get to the scene of events. The Copt went to the prosecution with an official complaint, without even knowing the name of the boy he was accused of having assaulted. The Assiut security officials took no measures whatsoever against the aggressors, whereas the Copt was detained four days pending investigation. The little boy has been referred to the medical authorities for a physical investigation.
Watani International
5 March 2013