Nearly 100 protesters from Geziret Mohamed and Tanash clashed with security forces yesterday on the Cairo ring road. Several suffered from breathing difficulties after security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The demonstrators reportedly blocked the road and prevented vehicles from passing. They were protesting a recent decision by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to divide Geziret Mohamed into two parts, one of which will become part of Giza and the other of 6th of October City. Tanash will fall under the jurisdiction of 6th of October City. Security forces set up fences and checkpoints around the protesters who were blocking the flow of traffic on the ring road. Members of the security forces then contacted several popular leaders to persuade them to end the protest. After negotiations failed, the security forces began using tear gas to quell the protest, and the demonstrators were forced to leave the road. Security forces chased them into the side streets, and approximately 100 residents suffered breathing problems from the tear gas canisters. Residents hurled stones at the Central Security Forces and burned a police car. Meanwhile, protesters and residents criticized Nazif for his decision to allow the government to seize ownership of 170 feddans. The housing ministry will seize additional land in order to build a service center for investors. The area in question is between the gas company and Warraq and will make several people homeless, said the protesters. “We complained several times about the decision, but no one responded to us,” said Mahmoud Abdel Azim, one of the residents. “So we decided to block the ring road until a new decision is made to restore the previous arrangement.” Translated from the Arabic Edition.
