Al-Fath reported on the sectarian incidents erupted in al-Marāshdah village in al-Waqf Township of Qena Governorate. A Copt was being accused of sexually assaulting a Muslim young girl. Clashes erupted between the Muslim villagers and security. Al-Fath stressed that the wisdom of al-Nūr Party leaders pacified the fitnah. They called on the angry Muslims not to take justice in their own hands and to allow legal procedures to take their course.

Dr. Mustafá ‘Abdu, member of the Salafī party, said that the “culprit” (referring to the Coptic suspect) tried to kidnap the girl to hide his crime, but when villagers tried to catch him, he ran and hid at the church (Muhammad ‘Abādī and Midhat ‘Abd al-Basīr, al-Fath, January 25, p. 5). Read original text in Arabic