Fears that mass protests against President Mohamed Morsi would lead to a repeat of the kind of antiquities thefts witnessed during the January 2011 Revolution have proved false. Mohamed Abdel-Maksoud, deputy head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Section at the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA), said he was concerned that while the unexpected nature of the 2011 revolution meant organised theft was not a problem and that whatever was stolen was done so arbitrarily, the fact that mass demonstrations for 30 June had been anticipated well in advance would allow thieves to target archaeological sites and museums. Security measures were tightened accordingly by the Tourism and Antiquities Police (TAP), working in cooperation with the Armed Forces. The MSA ordered all staff to remain at their places of work ahead of demonstrations and to organise shifts to ensure archaeological sites were manned day and night. Antiquities Minister Ahmed Eissa also called on Egyptians to help the MSA and police in protecting Egypt's heritage. On 28 January 2011 protesters in Tahrir Square formed a human chain around the Egyptian Museum to protect it from opportunist thieves. Protesters succeeded in arresting a number of people who had broken into the museum, confiscating stolen artefacts and handing them over to the police. The Egyptian Museum's security staff, says museum director Sayed Amer, are working in collaboration with the Public Security Agency to secure the building. Perimeter walls have been heightened and installed with razor wire and existing surveillance systems double checked. Mohamed Shiha, the director-general of the Giza Plateau, says security has been enhanced around the Pyramids and other sites, and additional CCTV monitoring installed. Similar measures are in place in Luxor and Aswan in order to safeguard their archaeological sites and monuments. TAP's Major General Abdel-Rahim Hassaan is confident that monuments, archaeological sites and museums all over the country will remain safe, with Central Security Forces joining the MSA in safeguarding premises. “The Ministry of Interior is capable of safeguarding Egypt's heritage, history and future from any plans to harm it,” said Hassaan. The Tour Guides' Syndicate has called on its members to form human chains around major archaeological sites and museums, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, while the Revolutionary Youth Union (RYU) has backed demands for protesters and the military to safeguard cultural sites. RYU spokesperson Omar Al-Hadari told a press conference that archaeological sites are no less important than the banks and government institutions which the police and army planned to secure during demonstrations. Meanwhile, the Independent Union of Archaeological Workers has formed committees to protect sites. Individuals can volunteer to help via Facebook. Artists and intellectuals currently occupying the Ministry of Culture's Zamalek headquarters also demanded the army deploy to protect monuments. Together with archaeologists, curators and concerned private citizens they have formed task forces to undertake tours of archaeological sites in densely populated areas such as Islamic Cairo with the aim of raising awareness among residents of the importance of the built environment and to urge them to play a role in securing the nation's heritage. On Monday stories appeared in the media that the Hathor temple at Mit Rahina, 24km south of Cairo, had been destroyed by fire. MSA archaeological consultant Mohamed Hamada told Al-Ahram Weekly the stories were baseless rumours and the Hathor temple remained unharmed. Mit Rahina, otherwise known as Memphis, was the capital of Ancient Egypt for eight consecutive dynasties during the Old Kingdom. It reached its peak during the Sixth Dynasty and became the centre of the cult of Ptah, the god of creation and artworks. It declined after the 18th dynasty with the rise of Thebes but remained Egypt's second city until 641 CE. It includes Ancient Egyptian, Ptolemaic and Graeco-Roman temples and chapels. He explained that what has been burned was grass and hay which are very far from the temple. Hamada asserted that all archaeological sites in Egypt are unharmed and welcomed its visitors. Over the course of demonstrations on Sunday and Monday the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square received 219 visitors and the Giza Plateau 585.
