Mourners chant ‘down with military rule’ at funerals for Christians killed in Egypt protest

Maggie Michael
CAIRO, Egypt— The Associated Press
Published Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 9:02AM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 11:10AM EDT

Some 20,000 mourners chanted slogans denouncing the ruling military during a funeral procession overnight for 17 Christians killed in a Cairo protest. They accused the army of bearing primary responsibility for the worst violence since Egypt’s uprising eight months ago.

Mourners packed the Coptic cathedral in Cairo for the funerals that began shortly before midnight Monday and lasted for several hours. They filled hallways and corridors as prayers were led by top church officials.

At times, the prayers were interrupted by chants of “Down with military rule” and “The people want to topple the Marshal,” – a reference to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi who heads the ruling military council that took power after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in February.

The violence Sunday night, which left 26 dead and about 500 injured, began when thousands of Coptic Christians marched to the state television building to stage a sit-in over a recent attack on a church. As they marched, state television called on civilians to “protect” the army, casting the Christians as a mob seeking to undermine national unity.

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