CAIRO: Egyptian police in Alexandria attacked a solidarity vigil of activists showing their support for slain citizen Khaled Said on Sunday, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) said on Monday. Khaled Said has become a symbol for the opposition after he was beaten to death by police outside an Internet cafe in Alexandria for posting videos showing police corruption. ANHRI condemned the security crackdown, which was in protest against the recent harassment of citizens and for activists to show their solidarity with Said. Said was killed in June, which led to nationwide protests of anger over the police actions. “The young people who were in solidarity with Khalid, victim of torture have prepared a group breakfast in coordination with his mother yesterday, to remember the young Khalid Said at his house in Alexandria. The young people prepared a day of solidarity with the ‘murdered of the Egyptian police',” said the ANHRI statement, and “included a silent stand with candles outside the house of the young man and a peaceful protest stand on the Corniche of Cleopatra near his house.” Egyptian security apparently were not happy with the protest and intervened. Reports of protesters being beaten was reported by activists from the area. One member of the procession told Bikya Masr on Monday afternoon that “the police just came and started hitting. It was crazy.” ANHRI said this “new police attack” by the State Security in Alexandria is “not the first in the series of the ongoing attacks by the Egyptian Interior ministry, which is violating all human rights, laws, Constitution and international treaties on an almost daily basis. “The matter did not stop at the suppression of demonstrations and protests which condemn torture of a young man and killing him in the streets of Alexandria, but it has spread to include the arrest and harassment on the activists who call for change in all parts of the Republic.” According to the pan-Arabic rights group, the assault and “continuous bullying” are indications of greater problems facing the country. ANHRI said the crackdowns shows “the intention of the Egyptian government to continue to terrorize the citizens and make them not safe in their country.” ANHRI added that the public prosecution in Egypt “should investigate these continued assaults by the interior ministry on the safety of citizens and not to leave the matter open before the Egyptian security to violate the rights of Egyptians to peaceful assembly and to express their opinion in the form and the way they see fit as long as it is peaceful and does not go out from what is stipulated on in law, Constitution and the international treaties.” BM
