The Public Prosecution released on Monday 15 defendants who were arrested during the first day of the Eid Al-Fitr celebrations, following deadly clashes in Giza.
The 15 were released after paying a fine of EGP 5,000 each.
The Talbiya and Nahia districts witnessed clashes between protesters and police forces following the Eid Al-Fitr Celebrations.
The official narrative, presented by the Ministry of Interior, however argued that approximately 400 protesters in Talbiya and Nahia used bird-shot and firecrackers against civilians, who in return, clashed with them. The clashes led security forces to “deal” with the situation, which resulted in the death of six civilians.
State media added that the defendants wanted to “spoil the celebrations of the Eid”, as they blocked the roads off Al-Haram Street and were fighting with residents. It also said that the protesters fired at the police when they tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas. However, eyewitnesses and the protesters say they were peacefully chanting for the “freedom of political prisoners”.
Sudden protests are a technique used by anti-government groups. Protests taking place without an official permit from the police are currently banned in Egypt, and riot police are authorised to disperse them.
Supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi have been staging weekly protests every Friday since his ouster in July 2013. However, the majority of these protests are restricted to remote villages and working class neighbourhoods, where security forces experience problems patrolling their streets.
On Monday night, police arrested eight pro-Morsi individuals on charges of rioting and inciting violence.
