Security measures were immediately implemented at Saint Mark's Cathedral, al-‘Abbāsīyyah district of Cairo, with the installation of CCTV cameras, alteration of entry procedures, and the shortening of opening hours. Furthermore, the Pope has not delivered his weekly sermon since President Morsi was deposed on July 3.

The call for Pope Tawadros' assassination from terrorist organizations is not new; last December (2012) security apparatuses discovered what was called “a document to conquer Egypt” in the possession of a jihadist group which, amongst other plots,  planned to assassinate the President and Pope Tawadros as well as a number of political, security, Coptic, and media personalities.

Prior to the June 30 demonstrations there were also threats directed against the Copts from al-Jamā’ah al-Islāmīyyah (an Islamic terrorist group), warning that if they took part in the demonstrations there would be many Coptic casualties (Rānīyā Nabīl, al-Sabāh, July 28, p. 10). The article has no link online.