Brawl breaks out between Muslims and Christians during Egypt Eid celebrations

Egyptian authorities have arrested 37 men in connection to a riot between Muslims and Christians in the village of Asem on the outskirts of Minya city in Egypt.

The riot, which occurred during the Eid celebrations, was reportedly started by two young men who were fighting over a donkey cart. Gangs of men allegedly joined in and started throwing rocks. One man was injured and a car was damaged during the brawl. Christians said that a beauty salon and three animal enclosures were set on fire.

The police put a stop to the fight and cordoned off the village. The authorities arrested 20 Muslims and 17 Christians. Local members of parliament (MPs) came and spoke to the suspects to calm the tensions at the village.

Minya has been the site of sectarian violence these past few months.

Last May, a mob of 300 Muslim men stripped a 70-year-old woman naked out on the street after it was rumored that her son had an affair with a Muslim woman. The men also looted and set fire to her house. Other witnesses said that six other Christian homes were set on fire.

"They burned the house and went in and dragged me out, threw me in front of the house and ripped my clothes," said the 70-year-old woman who wanted to remain anonymous, Express reported. "I was just as my mother gave birth to me and was screaming and crying."

In July, 5,000 people attacked Christians for trying to build a church in Baidaa. Naim Aziz Moussa said that he had offered up the two floors at his home as a place for worship for the villagers. Speculations about the church started to spread after visits from a Coptic priest.

"We don't want a church, we will knock down the church building, Egypt is an Islamic country," the mob reportedly shouted.

Moussa stated that the mob of more than 5,000 who attacked his home included young and old, men and women.

"The building was ransacked, including our home. My brother's nearby new flat was also destroyed," said Moussa, World Watch Monitor reported.

Six Muslims and six Christians were arrested by the police. The Christians were charged with building without permission and praying without a permit. Moussa, who was one of the arrested Christians, has been told by the police that he can only go home if he reconciles with the attackers.

Egypt has relaxed its law on building and renovation of churches but critics believe that Christians will still face obstructions because officials want security services, which the Church says are biased against Christians, to have the final word on church constructions.