Muslims in Egypt attacked Christians, burning down 80 of their homes, as we read in one report:
A Muslim mob torched and looted the homes of 80 Christian families in the Al-Beida village in Egypt, looking to punish them for wanting to turn one of the buildings in the village into a church so they can worship.
International Christian Concern, which reports on persecution against Christians around the world, said the violence occurred last Friday.
One witness, Christian resident Mousa Zarif, recalled the events: “On Friday afternoon, following Friday noon prayer, a great deal of fanatic Muslims gathered in the front of the new house of my cousin, Naim Aziz, during its construction because of a rumor spread in the village that this building would be turned into a church.”
Zarif added: “They were chanting slogans against us. Among these slogans were. ‘By no means shall there be a church here.'”
ICC noted that Christians in the village, a minority of the population as they are elsewhere throughout Egypt, have no churches nearby, and must travel 4 miles to find a place to worship.
The Muslim mob, after finding out about the plans to turn the Christian-owned building into a church, destroyed all constriction materials, and injured Aziz alongside his cousin, Mousa.
The mob then looted and torched all Christian homes and properties in the surrounding area, causing Christians to flee.
Fr. Karas Naser, the priest of Holy Virgin and the Archangel Michael Coptic Church who came to the village by car, was saved from serious harm by moderate Muslims who stood up to the radicals and got him out of the vehicle.