Mansoura University students staged an on-campus a protest on Wednesday calling for the resignation of university chairman Al-Sayed Abdel Khaleq and the release of detained students.
Clashes broke out in Mansoura University on Tuesday after a protest by Students Against the Coup was attacked by unknown assailants.
The Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday it had arrested 23 “rioting” students during the clashes. The ministry released a statement saying it entered the university campus, upon the university chairman’s request, to “protect lives and property”. It accused Muslim Brotherhood students of torching administrative security offices.
Mohamed Nagi, a researcher at the Student Observatory, said most of those arrested belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood. The Student Observatory is a subsection of the Association of Freedom of Thought and Expression.
Toqa Mohamed, a Mansoura University student and Al-Dostour Party member, said two student party members and one Revolutionary Socialists movement member were also arrested on Tuesday, to be later released.
“They’d look into students’ files; those affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood would remain in detention,” Mohamed claimed.
Mohamed added that Tuesday’s clashes were also between Students against the Coup members, who mostly belong to the Muslim Brotherhood, and army supporters.
Nagi said that Students Against the Coup and Al-Tayar Al-Shaaby (Popular Current) students took part in Wednesday’s protest. Protesting students also called for holding accountable administrative security personnel, whom they accused of taking part in the violence which took over campus lately.
The Anti-Coup Alliance, also known as the National Coalition to Support Legitimacy, had called for a “thunderous million-man march” on Tuesday in support of the students’ freedom.
Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi announced that police forces would be present at university gates to help maintain security. El-Beblawi’s cabinet gave university presidents the right to request the entry of police forces into campus in case of “threats to individuals, entities and students”.
Until 2009, the Ministry of Interior was responsible for providing Homeland Security personnel to secure universities. In 2009, the Administrative Court banned this decision, establishing an “administrative” university security. The decision did not go into effect until the 2011 revolution.
