Unidentified gunmen shot at Christians in the early hours of Sunday as they continued their sit-in in front of the state television building in Cairo.

Christians have spent the last week calling for equal rights and greater security after Muslims set fire to two churches in a rundown neighbourhood of the city the previous weekend, triggering violent clashes that left 12 people dead.

In the latest clashes, Muslims reportedly surrounded the protestors in central Cairo before opening fire and hurling Molotov cocktails at them. Christians responded by throwing rocks and stones at the Muslims.

Father Mettias Nasr, one of the rally’s organisers, told Al Ahram newspaper that five Christians had been shot, one seriously in the eye.

The demonstration has continued despite a call from the leader of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III, asking Christians to end the sit-in.

He said in a statement: “My protesting sons and daughters, the matter has gone beyond expression of opinions and there are those who have come between you and who have ways that are not your own.

“There are now fights and exchange of fire which are hurting Egypt’s reputation and yours too and therefore this protest must be immediately broken up.”

Copts make up around 10 per cent of the population in Muslim-majority Egypt. They suffered discrimination under the previous regime of President Hosni Mubarak and at least 23 were killed in a New Year’s Day bomb attack on a church in Alexandria.

They had hoped that a change in leadership would lead to an improvement in their situation, but now fear the imposition of an Islamic state if groups like the Muslim Brotherhood win the parliamentary elections in September.

Coptic human rights activist Wagih Yacoub said in a report by International Christian Concern: “There is no doubt that the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafis are allied. The Brotherhood plays politics and the Salafis are causing chaos so they can empty Egypt of Christians and make it an Islamic state.

“Lots of Egyptian people, including moderate Muslims, are worried. If Egypt becomes an Islamic state, it may mean civil war.

“We won’t get protection from the military council or the police forces. Our homes will be attacked at any minute, any time.

“Lots of people are scared. How will we protect ourselves? There will be bloodshed.”