Bishop Marqus of Shubrā al-Khaymah prayed in interview with al-Watan newspaper that Copts are to be spared an “extremist president,” pledging that he would go to the iconic al-Tahrīr Square to protest if the new constitution did not meet the demands of the church.

Copts in Egypt are 18 million and the church did not hide this census, said Bishop Marqus, adding the state should be asked why it did not reveal the number of Coptic population. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Watan, May 12, p. 9] Read text in Arabic