Coptic Christians Protest Outside White House Wearing Orange Jumpsuits, Hoping For Aggressive US Response

Coptic Christians protest outside whitehouse
Coptic Christians protest outside whitehouse

In light of the 21 people who were beheaded by ISIS militants in Libya, Coptic Christians in the United States donned orange jumpsuits and marched in protest from the White House to Capitol Hill in hopes that the U.S. government would take more aggressive measures against Islamist groups, including ISIS, Boko Haram and the Muslim Brotherhood.

According to Pamela Constable of the Washington Post, about 50 demonstrators marched in protest on Tuesday in Washington. One of those protesters included 29-year-old Hanna Asaad, a Coptic Christian whose best friend and cousin, Samuel Alham, was one of the people beheaded by ISIS.

"I kept calling my cousin and telling him he had to leave Libya, but there was no safe way out," Asaad said. "The militants came looking for Christians and then took them away. They murdered my cousin, my nephew and my classmates."

Asaad warned that ISIS one day could "start murdering people in this country." Constable reported that although he was able to immigrate to the United States and work as a network engineer in Fairfax, Va., his cousin, who came from the same impoverished region in Egypt, sought work as a laborer in Libya.

Constable reported that the protesters wore orange jumpsuits and stood outside the White House, kneeling "with their hands behind their backs." Other demonstrators held up photographs that showed both the victims and the blood-soaked waves on the beach where the beheading took place.

"Obama, Obama, did you see? Christian blood in the sea," the other protesters chanted.

According to the Washington Post, the Coptic Christians who lived in Washington and across the United States were composed mostly of educated, professional émigrés. However, many of them remained "deeply engaged in Egyptian politics."

"The seaside slaughter was an especially horrific incident in a history of increasing persecution that the Christian minority group has faced in its native Egypt," Constable wrote. "Recent attacks included the bombing of a church on New Year's Day, 2011, in the city of Alexandria, which left 21 worshippers dead and 79 injured."

Asaad told the Washington Post that ISIS knew how to distinguish the Christians from other people in the region. That's because most Copts have a small tattooed cross on their wrist, which is usually given to newborns in a traditional Coptic ritual.

"They believe that anyone who is not a Muslim, who is not a believer, must be killed," Asaad said. "They went looking for Christians and they identified them by their crosses."

Asaad added that the cross was a symbol of "our identity," noting that this was how ISIS "killed my cousin."

According to Constable, another protester, 70-year-old Atef Jacob, hoped that President Barack Obama would do more to help Christians and other minorities persecuted by ISIS in the Middle East before it was too late.

"ISIS wants to drive all Christians from the Middle East," the engineer and Coptic immigrant said. "Obama has to act before the whole region turns to fire."

    Most Popular
  • Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Is 'The Last Supper' worth watching? Audience and critics weigh in

    Faith-based films often receive mixed reactions, and The Last Supper is no exception. The movie attempts to bring a fresh perspective to one of the most iconic moments in Christian history, but does it succeed? Some reviews from critics and audiences provide insight into its strengths and shortcomings.

  • ‘The Chosen’ Season 5: The darkest season yet—What to know before watching

    The wait is over—The Chosen is back with its fifth season, and this time, things are getting intense. The new episodes dive straight into the final days of Jesus’ life, covering some of the most emotional and dramatic moments in the Bible. If you’ve been following the series, you already know that The Chosen isn’t just about retelling familiar stories—it’s about bringing them to life in a way that feels real.

  • Massacres in Syria: Over 1,000 dead, including Christians and Alawites

    Syria’s coastal regions have been devastated by a series of massacres, with reports indicating that over 1,000 people—many from Christian and Alawite communities—have been killed in brutal attacks. Entire families have been wiped out, and survivors are fleeing in search of safety as sectarian violence escalates.

  • Kim Sae-ron and Wheesung: The tragic irony of Korean society and the principles of happiness

    Not long ago, the media was in an uproar over actress Kim Sae-ron’s passing. Just months before, the same people who had relentlessly criticized her for her DUI incident were now expressing sympathy, saying, "The world was too harsh on her." The irony is impossible to ignore.

  • Newsboys move forward as a quartet after Michael Tait’s departure

    After more than a decade as the lead singer of the Newsboys, Michael Tait has officially parted ways with the band, marking a significant shift in the Christian rock group’s lineup. The remaining members—Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, and Adam Agee—have assured fans that they will continue forward, embracing a new season of music and ministry.