By Mariam Iskander
Clashes broke out between students and security guards at Helwan University on Monday night.
According to students, the confrontation began after a number of students tried to retrieve a university identification card that belonged to a student who was refused entry onto campus. After failing to obtain the card, clashes between the students and campus security escalated.
Students claimed security guards used brutality and called for armed support from their neighbours and families who lived in neighborhoods surrounding the university.
Last week a student was refused entry onto the Helwan University campus. Security guards began beating the student after arguments broke out.
The assaulted student filed a complaint against the security guards after the incident but no action was taken; as a result, students decided to attempt to obtain his ID on Monday, the last day of their exams.
After the clashes stopped, the students headed to the university’s administration to file a report on the incident but were detained in the office. University student Wasem El-Bakry claimed they were threatened that they would be shot or attacked by the armed security guard supporters if they tried to leave the office.
“The university’s security director lied to an officer who came from Helwan Police Station and told him that there were no students being held at the administration office,” said Halem Henesh, a university student and member of the Socialist Alliance Party.
Following the clashes, University President Dr Yasser Sakr held a meeting with Islam Fawzy, the university’s student union president, but they “did not reach a resolution other than proceeding with further investigations into the incident,” said Fawzy.
“This is not the first time the university’s security used force against the students,” said Henesh.
“We demand the removal of the current university’s security head, referring all security personnel to investigations, and setting a clear policy for appointing security guards at the university,” added Henesh.
Henesh also said that security issues at the university are not resolved through regulations and laws but through the brutality and force.
Helwan University’s administration could not be reached for comment.
