A SHARP escalation in sectarian tension in Egypt, resulting from violent incidents last weekend, has prompted the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, Pope Tawadros II, to criticise President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. He said that the President had been negligent, and had failed to provide adequate protection for the Coptic community. This is the first time that Pope Tawadros, who took office in November 2012, has openly denounced the Islamist leadership.

At least six Copts were killed, and scores were injured, in the violence last weekend. The trouble began on Saturday when Muslims in al-Khosous, on the northern outskirts of Cairo, accused a group of young Copts of painting offensive images on the gates of a building affiliated to the al-Azhar Mosque in the capital. In ensuing scuffles, a shot was fired, killing a boy. As the clashes intensified, four Copts and one Muslim were killed.

The funeral for the Copts was held the next day at St Mark's Cathedral, in Cairo. During an emotional service, the crying of mourners mingled with chants denouncing the Muslim Brotherhood. Bishop Rafael, who was conducting the service, appealed for calm.

What caused the violence when the service ended is still in dispute. Muslims accused Copts of coming out of the cathedral and attacking cars and buildings. Copts said that they were attacked when they tried to leave the building. In any event, for several hours there were scenes of mayhem around the cathedral, while dozens of Copts were trapped inside. Only later did the police intervene to end the clashes, by which time two more Copts had been killed.

President Morsi condemned the violence, telling Pope Tawadros that he considered any attack on the cathedral as a personal attack on him. A statement from the presidency affirmed that "all Egyptians are citizens who should enjoy all rights and are equal before the law." Furthermore, the President would "not allow any attempts to divide the nation or drive a wedge among Egyptians".

But Pope Tawadros, in an interview after the weekend, accused President Morsi of failing to keep a promise to do everything necessary to protect St Mark's Cathedral during the funeral. He said that the President was guilty of "negligence and poor assessment of events". He also dismissed the President's decision on Monday to revive a committee charged with promoting equality among Egyptians. Christians wanted "action, not words", he said.

Among those who denounced the latest violence against Copts was the President-Bishop in Jerusalem and the Middle East, the Most Revd Mouneer Anis, who said that attacks such as that on the cathedral "could lead the country into the abyss of sectarian sedition". He said that the Christian community in Egypt "is in mourning, and Christians feel challenged in their own country."

Since the beginning of the 2011 revolution, Bishop Anis said, "the number of incidents of sectarian clashes has increased. No one who committed violence or killing has been brought to justice, because the government is content to solve the sectarian clashes by reconciliatory meetings. The current government is inexperienced and is not doing enough to include the different political parties rebuilding Egypt after the revolution."

Bishop Anis continued: "Many educated young people are emigrating. This is the saddest thing for me as one of the leaders of the Church in Egypt, because I believe that the Christian presence is very much linked to the Christian witness."

The director of the Press Office for the Catholic Church in Egypt, Fr Rafic Greiche, pointed out that sectarian violence had escalated since the Muslim Brotherhood came to power last June, and was becoming part of daily life. But the incidents last weekend saw violence reach a new peak, he said.

The General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, Bishop Angaelos, condemned the "unprecedented attack on the see of the Pope of Alexandria, the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, by mobs, with the police arriving far too late and doing very little, if anything at all, to prevent them".

Bishop Angaelos said that, while the revolution had been expected "to bring about a fresh start for Egypt, the only true difference is that the situation seems to have become progressively worse for many millions of Egyptian citizens".

Sectarian tension is rising against a background of worsening economic conditions. Opposition groups accuse the government of seeking to force through an Islamic agenda. Secular opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood say that they will not begin talks with the President to seek a way out of the crisis until a neutral and credible government is created, an independent prosecutor-general is appointed, and a new committee is established to draft new election laws.

There is little immediate prospect of President Morsi's agreeing to these conditions.