In the past three months violence has gripped universities. More than 50 students of Al-Azhar University were arrested on 9 December as clashes between them and security forces were renewed. Students were arrested as soon as they stepped outside the university premises. This week, Students Against the Coup Movement which embraces Islamist students who support ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi held a protest to condemn previous clashes between security forces and students. During the protests, violent clashes erupted between students and security forces who stormed the university campus upon the request of its president Osama Al-Abd. Female Islamist students led a demonstration from the university which lies at Nasr Road in Nasr City to Rabaa Al-Adaweya. On their way to Rabaa students blocked Youssef Abbas Street, causing a serious traffic jam in the area. Ahmed Saleh, a member of the movement claimed that their protest members were attacked by security forces before they moved outside the university. “The government wants to muzzle our voices. They do not want to listen to the voice of freedom and truth,” Saleh said. Student Hisham Al-Anani who is a member of the Voice of the Students Movement in Al-Azhar University said protesting students blocked the road and security forces responded quickly by firing tear gas to open the street for traffic. “Security forces entered the university campus after protesting students started to fire at the police surrounding the university from outside,” said Al-Anani. A spokesman at the Interior Ministry, Hani Abdel-Latif stated security forces dealt with protesting students “with extreme patience and caution even though they pelted people and police forces with stones thrown from behind the university walls.” “They also attacked the police with Molotov cocktails. Protesters destroyed three police vehicles and injured several security personnel, in addition to burning private cars owned by university employees and staff members,” said Abdel-Latif. Saleh denied Abdel-Latif's accusations, claiming that police were brutal, “dealing with students with unprecedented violence.” Students also vandalised university property, leading Al-Abd to lodge a complaint to the Cairo Security Directorate calling on security forces “to intervene to protect people's lives as well as their properties”. Al-Anani said Students Against the Coup held Monday's demonstration to protest against the 8 December attack of the university's administrative security personnel on female students residing in the university dorms. He said angry protesters had the right to freely express their objection to what happened, so they gathered outside the university dorms and blocked the road. In response, Al-Anani said, “security forces attacked us with tea gas. After Morsi left there will be no democracy and freedom of expression. This will only happen when he returns,” Al-Anani warned. Abdel-Latif said security forces only intervened to prevent residents of the area from attacking protesting student and accused the protesters of attacking security forces. “People are fed up with what they're doing,” said Abdel-Latif. Abdel-Latif accused the International Organisation of the Muslim Brotherhood of exploiting students and urging them to protest to create a state of instability in the country. Security forces were first allowed into Al-Azhar University after violence erupted on campus on 30 October. In the same context, students at the Faculty of Engineering in Cairo University continued their sit-in for the fifth day in protest at the killing of classmate Mohamed Reda. Reda, 19, was shot dead during clashes with security forces two weeks ago, while students were protesting against the verdict issued by the court against girls of the 7am Movement who were sentenced to 11 years in jail. The girls were later freed after the verdict was appealed. Students set up tents near the offices of the Faculty of Engineering, while others roamed the campus holding photos of Reda and shouting anti-police slogans. Students were also holding banners condemning the killing of Reda. Other banners stating that “police are thugs” were hung up on the faculty's walls, and graffiti was painted to commemorate Reda along with three others who were killed in recent clashes. The students' sit-in began on 7 December. “We will not end them until those responsible for the deaths are brought to justice,” said Khaled Hisham, an engineering student. President of Cairo University Gaber Nassar said security forces had stormed the campus and used tear gas and birdshot against protesting students, an accusation which was later denied by the Interior Ministry. A press release issued by the prosecutor-general's office said that Reda had been shot dead by protesting fellow students who used a type of birdshot gun which is not used by security forces. “This statement is mere fabrication. We are back to the old ages of former president Hosni Mubarak where police were excused and their actions were always justified,” said Hisham. In a similar incident, Students Against the Coup clashed on 8 December with security forces on the campus of Mansoura University in Daqahliya. Clashes erupted following a protest organised by the movement to protest against what Islamists describe as the military coup which ousted Morsi. Essam Mohamed, a student at Mansoura University, said that over 100 students staged a protest and set fire to a police vehicle. “Security forces used tear gas as the students approached the university gate. Two police vehicles and a number of security personnel attempted to enter the campus, but were chased by students who set fire to the two vehicles,” said Mohamed, adding that police forces then increased their use of tear gas and birdshot. Students responded by throwing stones at police forces. Abdel-Latif denied the students' allegations and said police forces were not armed with birdshot, but used tear gas to disperse the crowds and batons to defend themselves against attacks. “On the contrary, students attacked police forces with Molotov cocktails,” Abdel-Latif said. On 3 December police forces arrested 17 students at the Faculty of Engineering of Menoufiya University. Students Against the Coup were protesting against the arrest of a Faculty of Arts student and the four-year sentence handed to another engineering student. Spokesman of Students Against the Coup in Menoufiya Ahmed Ghoneim said students were demanding the reinstatement of Morsi, revenge for the students who were killed, including Mohamed Reda, and the halt of violent acts against students.” Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim said in a cabinet press conference that there was a conspiracy to turn the students against the Interior Ministry. “We would rather cut our hands off than aim at a student,” Ibrahim said. “The students are our children. I am very patient with the students blocking the roads but I call on all students to focus on their studies.”
