Hundreds gather in Cairo to commemorate victims

Hundreds of people gathered yesterday in Cairo to commemorate the first anniversary of the Maspero clashes, which resulted in the deaths of twenty-seven protesters, mostly Coptic Christians.

Two different marches were organised. One leaving from Shobra, one of the largest districts of Cairo with a high Coptic population, and another one from Qasr el-Nile, located in the centre of the Egyptian capital.

Protesters also demanded justices for the victims of Maspero who were killed when a peaceful demonstration against the destruction of a church in Aswan was violently dispersed by the military near the television building at Maspero. Videos filmed during last year's march showed military vehicles attempting to run over protesters.

A number of groups, including the April 6 Youth Movement and the Popular Current attended the marches.