The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance issued the following statement to congratulate Coptic Christians as they commemorate the birth of Christ, peace be on him, expressing willingness to halt demonstrations on the days of their festivities:





The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance congratulates Egypt’s Christians as they commemorate the birth of Christ, peace be upon him, whose message of tolerance and mercy and principles of justice are all lost on the brutal putschists.





We were keen for some of us to visit Egypt’s churches to more personally offer our greetings, but the current circumstances of persecution and repression by the junta’s forces and incarceration of the Alliance’s most prominent leaders, who used to attend such special festivities, prevent those visits at the moment.





We offer our best wishes, despite the fact that Pope Tawadros II blessed the military coup, which saddened us as much as the Imam of Al-Azhar’s position. We offer our greetings, despite recent statements by (Coptic businessman) Naguib Sawiris inciting violence, because we know he does not represent Egypt's Christians. Indeed, God commanded us Muslims to show compassion and brotherly love for Christians.





If the putschists and certain collaborators spread rumors about 'expected' violence to cause sectarian strife or to divide the community, we will frustrate their plots for the destruction of Egypt, spoil the days of your festivities, as they ruined our celebration of the month of Ramadan and other Islamic festivities by murdering hundreds of Egyptians, and as they also robbed us all of the happiness and freedom we gained through the January 25, 2011 Revolution.





Although Muslims demonstrated against the coup on their days of festivities, and it is naturally their right to do so, we are willing to stop the Alliance’s demonstrations on the days of celebrations by Egypt's Christians, so as to prevent strife and give the fascist putschists no opportunity to cause more chaos and confusion in Egypt. We are confident the civilized anti-coup Egyptian people will respond positively.





The Alliance offers its best wishes to all Egyptians, Muslims and Christians alike. This is our homeland together, in which we all participated in building civilizations and together will work to restore it to the leading position it deserves among the nations





Long live Egypt - beloved homeland for all Egyptians.





The Anti-Coup Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance