Clashes between protesters and security forces continued for a seventh day near Tahrir Square on Sunday.
On Saturday morning Central Security Forces (CSF) fired a barrage of tear gas in Qasr Al-Eini Street, where most of the clashes have taken place, with the gas seeping into the nearby Sadat Metro station. The offensive dispersed protesters and allowed the army to erect a concrete wall on Qasr Al-Eini Street near the Shura Council.
Fighting between CSF and protesters have continued behind the United States Embassy near Simon Bolivar Square, where CSF used tear gas as both sides continued throwing rocks and other missiles at each other.
Volunteers working at Qasr Al-Dobara Church, where a makeshift field hospital is treating civilian injuries, said roughly 50 were treated for injuries on Sunday, mostly related to the heavy tear gas used by CSF early in the morning.
The church also received a few protesters late Saturday night who had wounds from birdshot. All other injuries have resulted from tear gas and thrown objects. By the volunteers’ estimates, around 500 injured have passed through since clashes began on Qasr Al-Eini Street and Mohamed Mahmoud Street on 19 November.
The Ministry of Interior announced Sunday morning that 267 people have been arrested as a result of the unrest.
Sporadic clashes continued on Mohamed Mahmoud Street, but the area saw a large decline of violence as Sunday progressed.
Peaceful protests continued in Tahrir Square, where demonstrators chanted for the “downfall of the supreme guide” and against President Mohamed Morsy. Following Friday’s announcement of a sit-in made by many non-Islamist groups, activists have erected tents in the middle of the square and in front of Omar Makram mosque and the Mogamma building.
A group of 6 April Youth Movement (Democratic Front) activists said they had been in Tahrir since the one year anniversary of the Mohamed Mahmoud Street clashes on 19 November and did not intend to leave the square until President Morsy relinquishes his newly-declared powers, which he awarded himself in a constitutional declaration last Thursday.
Barricades remain at the entrances of Tahrir Square, closing the area to vehicular traffic.
Non-Islamist groups and the Muslim Brotherhood have both called for demonstrations on Tuesday, in Tahrir Square and at Cairo University respectively.
The non-Islamist groups will continue their campaign against Morsy’s presidential decree, while the Muslim Brotherhood demonstration will support the president’s recent decision.
