It was a moment of celebration that quickly turned to grief.
Four members of the same family were gunned down over the weekend as they celebrated a wedding in one of Cairo’s most well-known Coptic churches.
قاعة كنيسة العذرا كانت مخصصة لفرح بالامس واليوم تستقبل جثامين جنازة ضحايا هجوم الامس.
HaithamTabei التابعي
@Haithamtabei
قاعة كنيسة العذرا كانت مخصصة Ù„ÙØ±Ø Ø¨Ø§Ù„Ø§Ù…Ø³ واليوم تستقبل جثامين جنازة ضØايا هجوم الامس.
On Monday, thousands of Egyptians turned out for the funeral of the two girls, aged 8 and 12; their cousin; and their mother.
Family members mourned the dead, as well as the 18 others wounded.
The pain and grief at Warraq church today.
Mosa'ab Elshamy
@mosaaberizing
The pain and grief at Warraq church today.
Amid the heartbreaking scenes of a family torn apart in the latest sectarian attack to hit Egypt was anger that more is not being done to protect the country's Christian community.
Attacks on Egypt's Christian community have been on the rise since the Muslim Brotherhood was swept out of office by the military three months ago.
In a sign of how deeply divided Egypt has become, officials quickly traded barbs over who was to blame.
Egypt's Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi condemned the attack, calling it a "despicable criminal act," and said security forces were searching for the assailants.
Major Gen. Hani Abdel Latif, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, denied on Monday that the attack was sectarian in nature. He said it was likely carried out by militant Islamist groups.
The Muslim Brotherhood meanwhile blamed Egypt's "military backed authority," criticizing in sharp language the lack of security for Christians on their English website.
Many, however, noted that Arabic-language statements didn’t carry the same condemnation of the attack.
The vast majority of #Egypt Islamist accounts aren't gloating over #Warraq. Most are just ignoring it completely.
Iyad El-Baghdadi
@iyad_elbaghdadi
The vast majority of #Egypt Islamist accounts aren't gloating over #Warraq. Most are just ignoring it completely.
At the funeral there was a noticeable police presence. Christians often complain that the state, despite its rhetoric, does not come to their protection.
About a half-dozen conscripts now outside the Imbaba church where gunmen fired on a wedding last night.
Erin Cunningham
@erinmcunningham
About a half-dozen conscripts now outside the Imbaba church where gunmen fired on a wedding last night.
Egyptian reactions on Twitter ranged from the enraged to the unfazed.
It is not simply the Christian community that is threatened, it is the very concept of "community" in #Egypt that is threatened. #Warraq
Timothy E Kaldas
@tekaldas
It is not simply the Christian community that is threatened, it is the very concept of "community" in #Egypt that is threatened. #Warraq
#Egypt's #SectarianState has not been addressed in any way since #Mubarak's fall.
Wael Eskandar
@weskandar
#Egypt's #SectarianState has not been addressed in any way since #Mubarak's fall.
After the funeral, family members of the murdered gathered outside the church.
The protest in front of the Warraq church now
MK مريم
@MariamKirollos
The protest in front of the Warraq church now
The Maspero Youth Coalition called for the resignation of the interior minister and demonstrations next Tuesday. Under Egypt's proposed new protest law, many gatherings like these would become illegal.
