Hundreds rally in France’s Lyon to condemn Al-Rawdah attack

CAIRO – 3 December 2017: Hundreds of French citizens rallied in the northeastern French city of Lyon on Saturday to condemn the terrorist attack that targeted Muslim worshipers in Arish, northern Sinai late November.

Participants held the rally upon a call made by the Grand Mosque of Lyon, and 20 other mosques. They held banners reading "No Violence, No Hatred, No Terrorism," expressing their condemnation for the cowardly attack and their solidarity with the families of the victims.

Many imams and religious leaders, notably the Archbishop of Lyon Cardinal Philippe Monsignor Barbarin as well as representatives of local authorities, deputies and civil society organizations participated in the rally.
“The participants wanted to show their rejection to violence and hatred,” said Imam of Lyon’s Grand Mosque Sheikh Kamal Qobtan to MENA.
He added that Muslims are the first victims of terrorist attacks, but that this fact is not “mentioned clearly by the media.”
The Egyptian community in France last Sunday paid tribute in front of the Eiffel Tower to the victims of Friday's attack on Al-Rawdah mosque.
In statements to MENA, Saad Youssef, a member of the Egyptian community, expressed the deep sorrow of the community in the aftermath of this heinous attack, saying that they would continue to stand behind the Egyptian leadership, army and police against terrorism.
At least 311 people were killed when militants opened fire on people attending prayers at Al-Rawdah mosque in North Sinai region last week.

No group claimed responsibility for the assault, but it was the deadliest yet in a region where for the last three years Egyptian security forces battled ISIS, which has killed dozens of police and military soldiers.