Violent clashes broke out yesterday in Alexandria between some drivers and police officers after the death of a tok tok [a sort of rickshaw] driver in Raas Al-Teen Hospital. Protesters accused a police officer of throwing a cigarette on the driver, who had poured gasoline on himself. However, the police said the driver had set himself on fire, with conflicting testimonies by eyewitness about the incident. Dalia Saeed, an eyewitness, said the driver tried to lick an officer's boots so that he would not confiscate his tok tok. Mai al-Sherbini and Miriam Abdel Aal said they saw the accident and affirmed the driver - named Islam Mohammad Ismail Kandil, - threatened the officer that he would set fire to himself if he did responded to his request and leave the tuk tuk. A number of drivers demonstrated and threw stones at the police car. The officer escaped.
Security forces used tear gas and arrested 16 drivers on charges of causing riots and resisting the authorities.
A statement by the Alexandria Security Directorate said the driver was unemployed, jailbird and defendant in three cases.