A protest of a few hundred Egyptians roam the streets of downtown Cairo after military police raided a popular set of cafes in the el-Borsa area late on Wednesday, an eyewitness told Bikyamasr.com. The security forces aided by personnel from the Cairo governorate raided the cafes, demanding the removal of outside chairs and tables. Other eyewitnesses say the police took the chance to randomly arrest cafegoers. The cafes had to get rid of outside seating and many have closed for the night. The vast majority of the cafes survive on outside seating, known for its sidewalk areas packed with crowds outside smoking shisha and having tea. The march, which was was at Talaat Harb square around midnight, is calling for an end to military rule of Egypt, chanting “down down with Tantawy,” the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). The Borsa cafes are known to accommodate Egyptian activists and bloggers who meet daily to discuss political events. The area is also popular among tourists for being cheap and hippy-like. BM
