Egypt police arrest 25 protesters

Twenty-five Egyptians who took part in a gathering to commemorate the Mohamed Mahmoud Street events were arrested, the country’s interior ministry said yesterday.

Some 400 people took part in the event, the Anadolu Agency said.

Deputy Interior Minister Major General Abdel Fattah Othman said the protesters caused traffic disruptions.

Anadolu reported an official Egyptian news agency saying that Othman announced the arrest of 25 protesters. Othman said that the Public Prosecution was informed about the detention in order to start its probes.

The police used tear gas and chased the protesters in order to disperse them, Anadolu reported. Most people fled into the streets in the surrounding area however a number were arrested, including females.

Other reports said 56 protesters had been arrested while five female detainees were later released.

This protest was one of several planned to take place in commemoration of the Mohamed Mahmoud Street events however, many were cancelled after the police crackdown.

The April 6 Movement had organised a gathering outside the headquarters of the Egypt Journalists Syndicate in the middle of Cairo but it cancelled the event due to “oppression by security forces”.