Copts resumed demonstrating outside a police station in Naja' Hammādī, the Upper Egyptian governorate of Qena, for the fifth day running as Bishop Kyrillos called for hastily arresting the culprits in the murder of two Copts in Bahjūrah village after they refused to pay an itāwah (protection money) for some thugs.

"We have sent many calls for help to the security agencies but to no avail, now that the names of perpetrators are known to everyone," said Bishop Kyrillos. [Mīnā Mhannā, al-Ahālī, Feb. 1, p. 3]