CAIRO: Four groups of girls were run into stores by hundreds of young men after Sunday’s football match. The celebration in Mohendiseen turned sour as fights broke out between store keepers and the crowd.
Ahmed Hendi was picking up a friend in Mohendiseen about midnight. He parked his car on the corner of Shehab St. and Gamaet Al-Dewal, and was shocked at the events that unfolded.
“They [the girls] weren’t dressed provocatively or anything, said Hendi, “One guy started hitting on them in the street and then like animals all of them started running towards them.
In 2006, during Eid celebrations, a large number of men chased a handful of women through the streets of Downtown Cairo, igniting a nationwide debate about sexual harassment.
One group ran into Unisex, a woman’s clothing shop. Tareq Mohammed Hassan, the manager on duty, let the girls in, and was forced to protect the store with a baton.
“There were hundreds of guys, said Hassan. “I had one officer helping me.
They pushed the door to get in, we pushed and yelled. That’s when we got our sticks and fought them off.
The girls were eventually able to get into a cab to go home, but the celebrations continued for hours afterwards. Amidst the Ahly cheers and the waving red flags, a family of Gulf Arabs was enjoying the celebration in a horse and carriage. The young men turned to the carriage and were reaching in for anything they could grab.
“At least 50 guys were trying to get into it, said Hendi. “The driver was using the whip to fight them off.
Faten Abdel Moniam is a clerk at the store next door, Farah Kids. She wears an abbaya, long black robe, and a colorful scarf. She says that what these young men are doing is not right, but she doesn’t blame them for their actions.
“Residents from places like Bolaq, Ard El-Lewa, and Meet Oqba come to Mohendiseen for football celebrations, she said. “When they see something strange, they sometimes can’t help themselves.
Abdel Moniam says there is a specific style that invites this type of behavior. Anything that stands out is considered too much. Short sleeves, fitted t-shirts, blue jeans, and uncovered hair are all factors that could ignite a charge in the young men from this area, she said.
A recent study conducted by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) found that “sexual harassment is not linked to the way women dress, since 72.5 percent of victims surveyed were veiled. The study found that 48.4 percent of Egyptian and 51.4 percent of foreign women of all ages are subjected to sexual harassment.
“This kind of thing happens during the celebrations, she said. “The girls getting hit on are the ones wearing clothes that make them stand out. There are understood limits.
Mariam Al-Wareeth disagrees. She sat in the back of the car as they drove down Gamaet Al-Dewal. She had her window open, an Ahly hat on, and was enjoying the music. All of a sudden the cars and people started mixing together, and what seemed like hundreds of hands were reaching into the car.
“I was sitting in the car, my head was covered and I wasn’t trying to attract attention, said Al-Wareeth. “The crowd was just really charged. One person does something and everyone follows. They know you can’t stop them, and they know you can’t catch them. You just try to get away.
