An attack on a sit-in at the presidential palace in Heliopolis on Saturday evening resulted in approximately 20 injured, including security personnel. Assailants attacked protesters using Molotov cocktails that burned four tents that had been erected around the palace. The Ministry of the Interior claimed that Central Security Forces (CSF) were fired upon by the aggressors, and six recruits were injured in pursuit of suspects.
The ministry released a statement saying a man named Antar was arrested following the clashes. He had allegedly been at the palace earlier that day and had been involved in an altercation with demonstrators. Antar then returned with friends in a retaliatory gesture. The Ministry of the Interior said five individuals had participated in the attack, two of whom were arrested Saturday night. Security officials say they are still searching for the remaining three assailants.
The attackers were not reportedly members of a particular group.
A sit-in staged by protesters against President Mohamed Morsy turned deadly early last month when it was initially attacked by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who had called for demonstrations at the same location in support of the president.
The anti-Morsy protesters staged their sit-in following Morsy’s constitutional declaration in November, while opposition forces have arranged various marches to the location since late November.
