One Christian was killed and dozens were wounded in Giza on Wednesday when some 3,000 Orthodox Copts hurled stones at police lines. Some officers threw stones back and Muslims threw rocks at the Christian protesters from behind the security cordon.

The attorney general decided to hold the 156 protesters for 15 days on suspicion of inciting the riots, MENA reported. It did not say whether they had been formally charged.
 
Some Christians demonstrated near the church and others near the Giza governor's office. Christians make up 10 percent of Egypt's 79 million people.

The Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that at least 112 protesters had been detained in the Giza area, where the authorities had halted construction of the church although the Copts said they had an official permit.

Police clashed with Christians first at the church construction site in the early hours of the morning and then several hours later when a mob of hundreds assaulted the local governor's office in retaliation.

Two priests were summoned by the general prosecutor for interrogation.

The government said construction had been ordered halted in this case because the building was not licensed to become a house of worship.

"They had previously been ordered to cease construction due to violations of building safety code standards, and because they were attempting to illegally transform the building into a church for the conduct of religious services," said a statement.