Pakistani Christians Protest Recent Taliban Suicide Bombings

Thousands of Christians reportedly rioted in Pakistan over the weekend to protest recent suicide bombings on local Christian communities.

According to BBC News, the protests reportedly turned violent, forcing police in Lahore to use tear gas and water cannons on the crowds of hundreds of Christians.

The protests took place Sunday as hundreds gathered in the streets to oppose two recent suicide bombings carried out by the Pakistani Taliban terrorist group in a Christian community in eastern Pakistan on Sunday. The two bombings, which took place Sunday morning, claimed the lives of 17.

Additionally, the two bombings, which occurred in the Nishtar Colony area, injured 78.

"The Christian community is a soft target for militant outfits in Pakistan," Rabia Mehmood, a researcher at the Jinnah Institute, a Pakistani group, told CNN in an interview Monday. "But generally Christians and other religious minorities are under a constant threat by the extremist elements in the society and rampant religious intolerance."

Some of the Christians participating in Sunday's protests spoke out to media outlets regarding their discontent over what they say is religious bias.

"We are proud to be Christians here but the way we are treated [...] is beyond our understanding," Arcene Anthony, a sister at a local church, told BBC News.

Pope Francis also spoke out against the attacks, saying it a statement that he prays for peace for all persecuted Christians.

"These are Christian churches and Christians are persecuted, our Christian brothers are spilling their blood simply because they are Christians," he said.

"I implore God [...] that this persecution against Christians -- that the world seeks to hide -- comes to an end and that there is peace," he added.