Egyptian Church Raided, Chained Off By Police to Prevent Christians From Worshiping

[TomSea]

Christian Post:

Egyptian Church Raided, Chained Off By Police to Prevent Christians From Worshiping
By Samuel Smith     Christian Post
Posted 2017-06-21 20:31 GMT

Authorities in Egypt reportedly raided a church-owned building that was being used by a local Coptic Christian community for worship and chained down the doors so that Christians could no longer enter the building.

According to a press release shared with The Christian Post by the human rights and religious freedom advocacy group International Christian Concern, the three-story building situated in the village of Saft Al-Kharsa in the Beni Suef governorate was broken into by police officials last Friday.

After police removed furniture, Christian iconography and other items from the building, they closed down the building using chains, an unnamed Christian villager told ICC..

"During the early hours of Friday, June 16, we [Christians] were surprised to find the furniture, rugs, icons, pictures, and worship utensils ... had been thrown outside and the building closed down with seals and chains," the Coptic Christian villager was quoted as saying. "We took the belongings into our homes. We don't know why the police did that."

Continued: http://aina.org/news/20170621163115.htm