AUSTRALIA: Hundreds of Egyptian Australian's rally in Sydney against the Muslim Brotherhood and in support of the military

Record ID: 214041

  • Title: AUSTRALIA: Hundreds of Egyptian Australian's rally in Sydney against the Muslim Brotherhood and in support of the military
  • Date: 24th August 2013
  • Summary: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (AUGUST 24, 2013) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS CHANTING: "IT'S NOT A COUP. HANDS OFF, OBAMA" MORE OF PROTESTERS STANDING/ WOMAN HOLDING BANNER READING: "STOP CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE IN EGYPT" PEOPLE SINGING EGYPTIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM WOMAN CRYING WHILE SINGING PEOPLE STANDING/ BANNER READING: "IT IS NOT A COUP" (SOUNDBITE) (English) SYDNEY RESIDENT, AMIR SHEHATA SAYING: "We condemn strongly the attacks by the Muslim Brotherhood. They've attacked churches, they've attacked churches, over 100 churches, institutions, orphanages, killing police and killing military people. We are here in support of the military, we're here in support of General (Abdel Fattah al-)Sisi and the Egyptian interim government against the Muslim Brotherhood." PROTESTERS CHANTING: "WE SUPPORT EGYPT" PROTESTERS WALKING/ WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING: "THIS IS NOT A COUP, THIS IS A REVOLUTION" (SOUNDBITE) (English) SYDNEY RESIDENT, BASEM GERGES SAYING: "All we want is just things to settle down and for people to live in peace, that's all. Egyptians have always lived in peace, we want to live in peace where everyone is guaranteed the right to live." MORE OF PROTESTERS WALKING WITH PLACARDS
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Australia
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3EHCZU1QQBC0HTEI5TMBPU0C1
  • Story Text: Hundreds of Egyptian Australian's rallied in Sydney on Saturday (August 24) against the Muslim Brotherhood and in support of the military.
    Most of the protesters were members of the Australian Coptic Movement Association along with 13 other Sydney-based Egyptian Associations.
    Many of the people attending the rally had family in Egypt and were disturbed by the recent violence, of which they believe the Muslim Brotherhood is responsible.
    One rally participant and Sydney resident, Amir Shehata said they condemned the attacks.
    "They've attacked churches, they've attacked churches, over 100 churches, institutions, orphanages, killing police and killing military people. We are here in support of the military, we're here in support of General Sisi and the Egyptian interim government against the Muslim Brotherhood," he said.
    Marching through the city centre, protesters carried placards and pictures of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, chanting "We support Egypt".
    Another resident said Egyptians just want to live in peace.
    "All we want is just things to settle down and for people to live in peace, that's all. Egyptians have always lived in peace, we want to live in peace where everyone is guaranteed the right to live," said Basem Gerges.
    Egypt has endured the bloodiest civil unrest in its modern history since August 14 when police destroyed protest camps set up by Mursi's supporters in Cairo to demand his reinstatement.
    The violence has alarmed Egypt's Western allies, although President Barack Obama acknowledged that even a decision to cut off U.S. aid to Cairo might not influence its armed forces.
    More than 1,000 people, including over 100 soldiers and police, have been killed since Mursi's overthrow on July 3rd.
    The Brotherhood, founded in 1928, emerged as Egypt's best-organised political force after Mubarak fell. Its popularity waned during Mursi's year in office when critics accused it of accumulating excessive power, pushing a partisan Islamist agenda and mismanaging the economy.
    The Brotherhood, which the new government has threatened to dissolve entirely, says Mursi's administration was deliberately undermined by unreformed Mubarak-era institutions.
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