SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Al-Azhar University students clash with security forces
Published in Daily News Egypt on 20 - 10 - 2013

A group of Al-Azhar students clashed with security forces on Sunday after a staged protest denouncing the death and arrest of several Al-Azhar students turned violent.
Al-Azhar students' protests began on Saturday to voice their rejection of the "military coup" which led to the unseating of former President Mohamed Morsi.
Students rallied outside the administrative building of Al-Azhar University on Sunday before they began moving outside the university campus. Mohamed Ali, one of the protesting students, said some of the protesters wanted to head to the Rabaa Al-Adaweya intersection where a large pro-Morsi encampment that was set up since 28 June was violently dispersed on 14 August.
"We found military personnel blocking Al-Nasr road," Ali said, adding that military personnel are usually present around that area. "Some personnel fired shots into the air. We decided against heading for Rabaa to avoid clashes."
Ali stated that a Central Security Forces (CSF) vehicle arrived at the scene before the students decided to head back inside the campus. "We had delivered our message; we were done," Ali added.
Protesters then stood outside the main university gate for a while, Ali claimed, only to find a couple of CSF vehicles moving towards them. Ali claimed one student pelted a rock at the security forces; a move which triggered the firing of teargas at students. Ali claimed security forces chased students and attacked them with teargas and birdshots inside the campus.
"I saw them with my own eyes," Ali said. "Security personnel were firing teargas canisters inside the university campus. Who allowed security forces to storm a university campus?"
Ahmed Noor Al-Din, Al-Azhar student who works with the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression (AFTE), claimed security forces entered university campus only momentarily. He added that they fired teargas into the campus while they were physically outside.
Ali said that students responded to security forces' attacks by pelting rocks at them. He claimed that some security personnel dressed in civilian clothes attacked students with batons and arrested them.
The Ministry of Interior, meanwhile, said in a statement released on Sunday that a group of around 3,000 Al-Azhar students blocked the Al-Nasr road amid anti-regime chants. It accused the student protesters of attacking security forces with rocks and setting a trash bin ablaze outside the university. It claimed security forces only fired teargas at the student protesters after it held discussions with them for half an hour, trying to get them to clear the roads.
The ministry stated it arrested a number of students and succeeded in dispersing the rally and driving the protesters back inside the university campus, therefore opening the blocked road. It denied storming the campus and called on students to "stick to peaceful means of expressing their opinions and refrain from stalling public institutions and threatening citizens' safety and security."
Ahmed Al-Ansary, head of the Egyptian Ambulance Authority, told state-run news agency MENA on Sunday evening that the clashes left no injuries behind.
Al-Azhar students had also gathered outside the university administration's building on Saturday, calling for the ouster of the current military-installed regime as well as the resignation of Al-Azhar University chairman Osama Al-Abd.
Protesting students had also condemned the stance of Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, who supported the military ouster of Morsi. Students moved from the university administration's building to the university's main gate. They then moved outside, blocking Tayaran, Youssef Abbass and Al-Nasr streets temporarily.


Clic here to read the story from its source.