During Egypt’s 18 day uprising in early 2011 that saw the toppling of Hosni Mubarak through a wave of popular protests, regular pictures were beamed across the world of Muslim and Copt side by side in Tahrir Square. During Friday prayers on 4 February 2011, Copts—brandishing their tattooed wrists with a cross—protected their Muslim brethren from attack. Two days later, Muslim crowds encircled Coptic Sunday Mass in the square ensuring safety. These images whilst wonderful are not reflective however of underlying religious discrimination against non-Muslim communities in Egypt today. Instead, these images serve to reinforce a series of myths that have long found currency in Egypt and the Arab World.

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