On Sunday night Prime Minister Hesham Qandil ordered investigations into the most recent violent clashes that broke out in Mansoura city of Daqahleya. He also ordered the Minister of Interior and governor of Daqahleya to submit a detailed report of the incidents.
This comes after the chief of the Daqahleya Security Directorate defended Central Security Forces (CSF) in a press conference held on Sunday. The conference followed claims of CSF dealing violently with protesters in Mansoura.
The conference was held at the governorate’s security directorate, where Samy El-Meehy, the chief of the directorate, denied that CSF officers located in Mansoura are armed with birdshot. He claimed that CSF does not intervene in peaceful protests, adding that they only intervene when public and private property is attacked.
El-Meehy said several assailants attacked CSF with rocks and Molotov cocktails during the past few days, adding that 88 of them were arrested. The security chief said the arrested men are currently being investigated by the prosecuter, and that several police officers were severely injured during the clashes.
El-Meehy called on different political groups to maintain peaceful protests, claiming some figures are trying to promote destruction.
Hafez El-Shae’r, the media coordinator for the Popular Current in Daqahleya, on Sunday accused CSF officers of breaking into and destroying the Popular Current and the Social Popular Alliance Party, located on Suez Canal street in Mansoura. General El-Saeed Omara, the director of Daqahleya’s Investigations Authority, denied these accusations during the press conference.
El-Saeed Omara added that a group of unknown assailants were attacking CSF located near the offices, which forced CSF officers to use force.
The 6 April Movement held a protest in front of Daqahleya security directorate at the time of the conference. Protesters called for restructuring the Ministry of Interior and punishing those responsible for killing Hossam Abdel Azeem, who was crushed by a CSF vehicle on Friday.
Protesters also demanded the chief of Daqahleya’s security directorate be removed.
Meanwhile, minor clashes took place between protesters and CSF on Suez Canal Street in Mansoura, where protesters threw Molotov cocktails and rocks at CSF who responded with tear gas bombs. No injuries or arrests were reported following the clashes.
The Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), alongside several other human rights’ organisations, issued a statement on Monday, condemning security forces’ attacks on journalists working at Welad El-Balad institution during the clashes. The attacks included beating, dragging and firing birdshot at them, according to ECESR.
El-Shae’r said the clashes were less intense than those during previous days. He mentioned that Popular Current members in Daqahleya are set to hold a meeting on Monday night to discuss their reaction to the violence committed by security officers, according to El-Shae’r.
A mass march toured Mansoura on Sunday evening, condemning acts of violence committed by security forces towards protesters. The march was led by George Ishaq, a founder of Kefaya Movement and leading figure for the National Salvation Front, and Zyad El-Elaimy, former member of parliament.
