On the 13h of January, 2010, the very first hatchings of a rally, the likes of which had never been held in Australia, were underway. Six days later, this blueprint became reality. The rally held in Sydney, Australia, protesting the persecution of Copts in Egypt, was one of the most successful rallies ever held in Coptic Australian history.
The lead up to the protest was undoubtedly the cornerstone for the success of the rally. Impassioned speeches were delivered by the organisers to the congregation, banners were made by all churches, dignitaries from parliament and national religious organisations were contacted and uniquely, a full page advertisement was taken out in the Daily Telegraph on the morning of the rally.
All these efforts compounded to result in the success that was the Sydney rally, held for the Coptic martyrs of Nag Hammadi and all the Coptic martyrs in Egypt’s bloody history.
A minimum of 7000 – 8000 Copts gathered at 12pm at Hyde Park, Sydney to march for the voiceless Copts in Egypt. Several media outlets were present at the rally, ranging from TV stations, to radio stations to newspaper outlets. All were interested in what the Copts of Sydney had to say. Church hymns and prayers commenced the march and were chanted throughout the procession. The atrocities committed against the Copts were read out soon after, before chants demanding equality, justice and an end to persecution dominated the march.
The procession came to a halt at Martin place where speeches by rally organisers, members of the clergy, members of parliament and national religious dignitaries were delivered. These speeches addressed the plethora of issues plaguing Copts in Egypt, such as unprovoked murder, abduction, rape and forcible conversion of young Coptic girls and discrimination against Church grants to build Holy infrastructure.
Sydney’s Copts were so impassioned by these events that they enthusiastically chanted along and cried out during the march. It was the youth of the Church however, who proved to be the most dedicated, as after the march had ended by an hour, they were still chanting and crying for an end to discrimination for their brothers and sisters in the loudest voice they could muster.
This rally was indeed one of the most successful ever held by the Coptic Australian community. All of the Sydney CBD stopped their daily grind in order to not only observe the protest, but for some, to even participate. Some of them held up banners, whilst others were reduced to tears. All however, conceded that they were thankfully informed of an issue that they were unaware of. Additionally, a petition was circulated throughout the crowd before being handed to the Department of Foreign Affairs, as was a letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd. Undoubtedly, on this day, Martin Place and indeed Sydney, came to a standstill at the command of the Coptic protest.
The success achieved has propelled the rally organisers, youth and the clergy to continue in their quest for human rights in Egypt, particularly for our Coptic brothers and sisters. Like the initial plan hatched on that day, six days before the protest, this protest is merely the beginning of a long road to correct the abuses occurring in Egypt.
The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Sydney and its affiliated regions, would like to thank the police who escorted the march, the security and ushers who guided the protesters, the dignitaries for their attendance, the clergy for their support, the rally organisers for their efforts, and finally, the congregation who not only participated, but who were willing to listen and understand the Coptic plight. Thank you.
The Coptic Orthodox Youth of Sydney.
