Calls to replicate Port Said's campaign of civil disobedience in other governorates are increasing. The cities of Mansoura, Ismailia, Suez and Mahalla have all responded, to varying degrees, and deadly clashes between protesters and the Central Security Forces (CSF) are likely to grow. “As long as he thinks Egyptian blood is cheap down with any president,” chanted hundreds of protesters marching through Mansoura's streets on Sunday afternoon following the death of Hossam Abdel-Azim, a 35-year-old Mansoura resident. Abdel-Azim was killed, says his father, while out buying groceries from a nearby market. He was crushed beneath a CSF vehicle. Abdel-Azim's death provided a climax of sorts to a week of growing unrest in the Nile Delta city. The clashes in Mansoura, capital of Daqahliya governorate, began on 25 February when supporters of President Mohamed Morsi attempted to forcibly disperse a sit-in in solidarity with Port Said's civil disobedience campaign outside the Daqahliya governorate's headquarters. “No security forces were nearby when the sit-in was attacked by Muslim Brotherhood members,” Ahmed Sayed, one of the protesters, told Al-Ahram Weekly. On Friday night, the day on which Abdel-Azim died, the sky was raining tear gas, says Sayed. On the following day aggrieved family, friends and activists took part in a silent funeral march, carrying Abdel Azim's body around the city's main streets while holding up banners and posters demanding justice. Parts of the governorate building were burned by furious protesters during the week-long clashes and, according to the Interior Ministry, nine officers and twelve recruits were injured. The Interior Ministry has called on all political forces to help end the clashes in Mansoura, and is urging politicians to go to protest sites themselves to help restore calm. Some political figures did arrive in Mansoura on Sunday, though they made the trip to join protesters in a mass march denouncing the Interior Ministry's excessive use of force. The march had been called by the Dostour Party. Hundreds of protesters and activists took part including George Ishak, a founder of Kifaya, former MP Zeyad Al-Eleimi, Mohamed Ghoneim, a leading figure for the National Salvation Front (NSF) and Nour Al-Hoda, a member of the NSF and Dostour. The march began at 2pm at Mansoura University and proceeded to the governorate building on Al-Thawra Square. Chants of “down with Morsi” and “the people want to topple the regime” resounded during the two-hour protest. Al-Eleimi told the Weekly the murder of Abdel-Azim was an attempt by the state to terrorise its citizens into silence. Whoever is responsible for his death, Al-Eleimi said, must be held accountable. “The legitimacy of the regime will always be questioned as long as blood separates it from the people,” says Al-Eleimi. “Now the regime has two choices; either to find whoever is responsible or to step down.” Abdel-Megid Rashed, Daqahliya's secretary of the Popular Current, was less circumspect. “After bloodshed there is no demand except to bring down the regime,” Rashed told the Weekly. He claimed that three protesters have been killed in the city. Eighty-eight people, including children, were arrested during the clashes. Wael Ghali, a lawyer representing many of the detainees, has confirmed that the majority have been released on bail. “Except for eight who were jailed for 15 days pending investigation after they confessed that they were hired by former Mahalla MP Hamdi Al-Fakharani, most of the detainees were released on bail,” says Ghali. The families of those that have not been released said the confessions were coerced. Following the march Ishak addressed the crowds in Al-Thawra Square, praising the residents of Mansoura. “Port Said greets you,” he began, and was immediately cheered. “We want to see civil disobedience in Daqahliya governorate. Mansoura will be the starting point,” Ishak said. He demanded the dismissal of Daqahliya's governor and head of security. Human rights activists say torture is now being used against protesters on a scale not seen since the toppling of Hosni Mubarak. Even juveniles are being kidnapped, tortured and in some cases killed. “We are here today to emphasise our rejection of the violence being used against demonstrators,” Ghoneim told the Weekly while leading the march towards the governorate building. A leading urologist and founder of the Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Centre, Ghoneim believes that what is occurring in Mansoura is symptomatic of the frustration felt in all Egypt's provinces at the failure to achieve any of the revolution's goals. After a week of clashes Prime Minister Hisham Kandil finally ordered an investigation into their cause. On Sunday evening he called upon the Minister of Interior and governor of Daqahliya to submit a detailed report on the incidents. The Egyptian Centre for Economic and Social Rights joined several other human rights' organisations in issuing a statement condemning security forces' attacks on protesters in Mansoura which included beating demonstrators, dragging them through the streets and firing volleys of birdshot. Hamdeen Sabahi, founder of the Popular Current, condemned the clashes on his Twitter account on Saturday, describing CSF actions as “a flagrant crime”. The Dostour Party condemned the CSF attacks in a statement issued on Saturday. The chief of the Daqahliya Security Directorate defended the CSF in a press conference held on Sunday, claiming CSF officers located in Mansoura are not armed with birdshot wand would never interfere in a peaceful protest but intervene only when public or private property is attacked. In Port Said, where the campaign of civil disobedience originated, there are no signs of the situation calming down. According to Egypt's Health Ministry clashes in Port Said between protesters and security forces on Monday left three civilians and three security officers dead and over 400 people injured. The majority were suffering respiratory problems caused by police use of tear gas. Two civilians — Sayed Ali Al-Sayed, 16, and Abdel-Rahman Al-Said Ali, 22 — died of head injuries after being hit by rocks thrown from the roof of the governorate building. The identity of the third civilian has yet to be made public. The Interior Ministry says conscripts Ibrahim Abdel-Azim Mustafa, Mohamed Al-Husseini Ibrahim and Alaa Mohamed Al-Shawadfi were killed as a result of gunshot wounds fired as they were guarding the Port Said security directorate. The violence in Port Said escalated on Sunday after 39 defendants in the Port Said stadium case were transferred out of the city. Army personnel deployed outside the governorate building found themselves caught between the CSF and protesters. The soldiers retreated after suffering the effects of tear gas fired by CSF. Prior to the retreat an army officer was shot in the leg. Stories soon began to circulate that the army had responded by shooting at the police, forcing them to retreat into the Security Directorate. The army moved quickly to deny the accounts. “Army personnel in the area are there to secure the governorate building and separate protesters and Ministry of Interior personnel,” said a statement. It claimed “unknown elements” shot and injured army personnel. On Monday afternoon massive funeral marches were held for those who died overnight in Port Said. “No God but Allah and the Brotherhoods are the enemies of Allah,” and “I swear with your blood, martyr, another revolution will start,” chanted the mourners as they marched to Port Said cemetery. By night parts of the Security Doctorate and governorate building were ablaze. President Morsi called an emergency meeting with Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim on Monday evening to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Port Said. Protesters are also calling for civil disobedience in Mahalla, the Delta's key industrial city, in a campaign that could include withholding electricity, water and gas bills. Groups promoting the campaign include the Dostour Party, Egyptian Popular Current, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, 6 April Youth Movement, Democratic Front and Mahalla Revolutionary Youth Movement.
