The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has again criticized protests by Copts over a decision to halt the construction of a church in Giza.
Authorities said authorization was given for a service center and not a church. The decision prompted violent clashes between protesters and security personnel on Wednesday which left two Coptic protesters dead and scores more injured.
Alieddin Helal, media secretary for the NDP, said the protests broke out because some Copts had ignored the laws governing church construction.
In a press conference on Friday, Helal added that local authorities noticed that the building in question had a dome, which meant that a church–rather than a service center–was being built. This was when the decision to stop construction was made, he said.
Helal added that Copts sided with the church officials, ignoring the legal aspects governing the issue.
Safwat al-Sherif, NDP secretary general, had said on Thursday that the Coptic church protests were “premeditated”.
