Police battle sectarian riots in Egypt

POLICE fired live ammunition into the air and lobbed tear gas into rioting crowds of Christians and Muslims yesterday in a third day of sectarian violence in Egypt's second-largest city.

One Muslim reportedly died of wounds suffered a day earlier and dozens more people were wounded and arrested.

Police fought back against Coptic Christians, who were encircled by a security cordon around the Saints Church in Alexandria after hurling stones and bottles from inside the police line. Fellow demonstrators tossed petrol bombs from the balconies of nearby buildings.

Police could be seen beating a boy of about 12, who was among the crowd of Coptic young people who fled into the church, slamming the doors behind them, or dashed down narrow streets surrounding the church. Most of the protesters were between the ages of 12 and 25.

Later, a huge mob of what appeared to be Muslim protesters charged the police cordon from the other side.

Mustafa Mohammed Mustafa, a Muslim Brotherhood parliamentarian, said a 24-year-old Muslim died early yesterday of wounds from a beating by Christians during rioting on Saturday.

The Christian protesters behind the police cordon repeatedly surged against it from the front of the church, and by late afternoon they were hurling rocks and bottles at security troops as others tossed firebombs from surrounding apartment balconies.

Sirens blared as ambulances arrived. Armoured police vehicles surrounded the church as tear gas fumes sent protesters fleeing down narrow streets.

Earlier yesterday, police officials said 43 people had been wounded in clashes near the church and 50 others were arrested as religious leaders and politicians sought to ease sectarian tensions in the aftermath of a series of weekend attacks on Coptic churches.

The police spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters.

About 2,000 riot police had cordoned off the front of the Saints Church, but they were unable to prevent the late-afternoon melee by some 200 young men milling around church grounds after services ended. They carried wooden crosses, clubs and machetes.

At least 22 people were wounded in clashes in the Mediterranean city on Saturday, and 15 people were arrested in the fighting that police said was instigated by "fanatics".

Security forces also used tear gas to put down the Saturday violence, which erupted among several hundred Coptic Christians and Muslims at the end of the funeral procession for Nushi Atta Girgis, 78, who was slain on Friday outside the Saints Church in the Sidi Bishr district.

Officials said more security forces were sent to the city to maintain calm.