There were only minor clashes in different cities on the second day of the parliamentary elections, the Ministry of Interior reported Tuesday. There were no dangers that might have stopped voters from reaching their polling stations.
The ministry told Daily News Egypt that all cases of violence have been dealt within the limits of law.
There were 39 cases of injuries reported on the second day, the Ministry of Health said Tuesday. Most of the cases were related to high blood pressure, high temperature, and suffocation. Only three injuries were results from a fight between citizens in a polling station.
Police officers in Alexandria arrested four men who “broke the electoral silence, direct the voters and campaign for candidates”. Other arrests took place in Alexandria as security forces arrested a car owner who distributed flyers of a candidate near the polling station. In a separate incident, another man was arrested for filming the polling station. Other separate incidents were reported by local news.
The interior ministry’s media office could not confirm the number of cases of people arrested outside polling stations but said that similar cases have taken place.
A police car was attacked by unknown assailants while passing by the Cairo-Assiut road in Badrasheen, north of Cairo. Attacks on police personnel in this area have been repeated. Last week, assailants fired at a security squad while trying to escape arrest; no injuries among police personnel were reported.
The interior ministry commented on this incident saying that it had nothing to do with the elections.
In 6th of October City, a heist took place Monday when assailants tried to steal private cars. As security forces approached, an exchange of fire took place, leaving low ranking police officers injured.
In Kerdasa, after the explosion of two sound bombs Sunday, volatile clashes broke out between two families, which lead to the arrest of 40 people. The Ministry of Interior said the violence lead to the delay of the voting process, which continued afterwards.
Other clashes between coordinators of candidate campaigns broke out in the neighborhoods of Waraq, Badrasheen, and Atfeeh in South Giza but were dispersed by security forces.
Despite the heavy presence of police and army forces for security, the first stage of the parliamentary elections marked a low turnout, with senior citizens dominating the electoral scene.
Days before the elections Egypt’s security forces announced they will secure the elections and will “harshly” react to any violation.
No anti-government protests or demonstrators were reported or seen outside polling stations. Opposition Islamists, including the now banned Muslim Brotherhood, remained active online and rejoiced what they considered a “boycott of elections” by Egyptians.
Although private pro-government media outlets have outlined the low turnout, with TV talk shows hosts asking the masses to vote, state owned Al-Gomhuria newspaper Monday’s front page read “Egyptians defeat terrorism and choose a parliament”.
