(Photo by Ahmed Al-Malky)
Cairo University’s board condemned recent violence on campus and ordered on Monday the formation of a committee to follow up with security means after the end of the examination period.
Following its meeting on Monday, the board said deadly clashes on Thursday “required an agreement with the Ministry of Interior to secure the university, professors, students and exams until the results are announced.”
Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim was cited by state-run Al-Ahram as saying on Monday that security forces will be withdrawn from universities after the examination period is over.
On Thursday, deadly clashes erupted on the heels of a protest held by members of Students Against the Coup. Security forces stormed the university’s campus, and the ensuing clashes left one student dead after sustaining live ammunition and four rounds of birdshot.
The Ministry of Interior distanced itself from the student’s death.
Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi’s cabinet took a contentious decision in November, allowing the intervention of security forces on campus when requested by the university’s president.
The decision gave security forces the right to “directly interfere if the situation is out of control.”
The board meeting comes one day after members of the university’s faculty urged the administration on Sunday to “immediately” remove security forces from campus.
Addressing the issue of security, the faculty members called for the formation of a committee to supervise the training of the administrative security personnel. A delegation representing the meeting’s attendants later met with Cairo University President Gaber Nassar and delivered their demands in person.
Until 2009, the Ministry of Interior was responsible for providing Homeland Security, at the time known as State Security personnel, to secure universities.
In 2009, the Administrative Court overruled this decision, establishing an “administrative” university security. The decision to bar Homeland Security from university campuses did not go into effect until the 2011 uprising.
Universities across the nation have witnessed deadly stand-offs between security forces since the beginning of the academic year.
In Cairo University, Students Against the Coup repeatedly clashed with security forces in the vicinity of the university, and teargas was fired on campus several times. College freshman Mohamed Reda lost his life in deadly clashes with security forces on 28 November.
