(Photo Public Domain)
The Freedom and Justice Party’s legal advisers’ office in Damietta was torched in the late hours of Sunday.
Legal adviser for the party in Damietta Yasser Dawoud alleged the office was torched by members of the 6 April and Revolutionary Socialists movements. Dawoud said around 100 people, including 20 “thugs”, were responsible for setting fire to the office.
He said the political movements held a protest at Al-Sa’a Square on Sunday, after which they marched to the office to burn it down.
He said the office, computers and documents were destroyed and added that a dental clinic near the office was also torched.
Fady Abu Samra, a member of the 6 April Youth Movement in Damietta, said that he “completely rejected” Dawoud’s accusation. He added that Dawoud should present specific names and allegations to the prosecution.
Abu Samra added that the 6 April Youth Movement rejects all violence and rejects the burning of buildings. He added that his movement believes in non-violent resistance.
Dawoud claimed he was aware of the perpetrators’ identity because Damietta is a small town. “It is just a strip along the Nile… everyone knows one another here,” he said.
Abu Samra claimed that the 6 April movement did not take part in protests on Sunday. He said there were protests by craftsmen and roads were blocked on Sunday, but the Movement was not involved.
The Freedom and Justice Party in Damietta released a statement saying that the party is shocked by the blocking of roads and the closure of Al-Sa’a Square by “thugs”. The party was also disappointed by the lack of police intervention to resolve the issue, the statement said.
“Vandals burnt down the legal advisers’ office… and the police intervened neither before nor after the fire, as if they are supporting the violence,” the party said.
The party added that fire engines were not allowed to reach the scene of the fire. Dawoud claimed that the perpetrators did not allow firefighters to reach the site and the police ignored their actions.
“This violence that takes place in the name of protest has a negative impact on the people of Damietta who depend entirely on trade,” the party said.
