Britons prepare to demonstrate against prospective visit of Sisi

British citizens have started preparing to demonstrate against a prospective visit from the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to London on 4 November, Rassd.com and other media sources reported on Wednesday.

The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party John McDonnell is leading the call for the cancellation of the visit, which comes as a response to an invitation made by UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

McDonnell is the first signatory on a long list of petitioners, included other senior Labour officials, journalists, authors and human rights activists, all of whom have signed to express their demands that the UK refuse to host Al-Sisi.

The petition describes Al-Sisi as a leader of a “terrorist regime”.

Speaking to Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the British Ambassador in Cairo John Kasn said that: “Throughout our common efforts, we seek to make the relationship between the two countries to become real and tangible, not only based on words.”

“This improves security and welfare of both of the two countries,” he added, noting that he met with various Egyptian ministers during the past week.

Kasn reiterated that the Egyptians have started new political stage by way of the recent parliamentary elections. “This is the time to listen to the Egyptian people, not the diplomats,” he said.

The British signatories, who oppose Al-Sisi’s visit to their country, said that inviting him is a violation of British values, which the government claims to defend while simultaneously welcoming “a ruler who ousted an elected government and set up a terrorist regime”.

They clarified their position by saying that they do not support the policies of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and his party, but rather stress the fact that he was freely elected by the Egyptian people and was ousted by a military coup led by Al-Sisi.