MP’s will join thousands of Coptic Christians today at Martin Place

WHEN: Sunday, 14th April 2013
WHERE: Martin Place, Sydney CBD (Corner of Macquarie St)
TIME:     From 2.00 PM

Australia’s Coptic-Egyptian community has been shaken by the escalating attacks on Coptic Christians throughout Egypt.

The Australian Coptic Movement Association (ACM) is organising a rally on Sunday to stand in solidarity with Copts in Egypt following the ongoing attacks against Coptic Christians in Egypt.

The events which unfolded began last Sunday when thousands of Coptic mourners were attending St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo to participate in funeral prayers for the Copts who were massacred in the district of Khosous only 24 hours before. Upon leaving the Cathedral they immediately came under gun fire and many ran back to the Cathedral grounds for safety and shelter. The Cathedral which also contains the papal residency of Egypt’s Coptic Pope, Pope Tawadros II then came under sustained attacked by Egyptian security forces and armed gunmen.

Coptic Christians have been subject to mob violence and persecution for several decades however these attacks have escalated and now occur in almost every province of Egypt from Alexandria in the North to Aswan in South. Coptic Christians are being persecuted and the Egyptian state has failed to protect them.
The following politicians have accepted ACM’s invitation to attend the event despite the short notice:

Hon. Mr Phillip Ruddock MP (Representing the Hon. Tony Abbott, Leader of the Opposition); Mr Chris Bowen MP, Mr Craig Kelly MP. Mr Laurie Ferguson MP, The Hon. Rev Fred Nile MLC, The Hon. Luke Foley MLC, The Hon. Greg Donnelley MLC, The Hon. David Clark MLC and Dr Andrew Macdonald MP.

We are gathering in solidarity with Copts in Egypt and to call for the end to the violence and justice for Coptic Christians in Egypt.