Gamal Abdel Nasser underground metro station was closed on Sunday for security reasons, according to the official Cairo metro authority. Ahmed Abdelhady, the authority spokesman said: "The station was closed indefinitely but will not be closed for long." He added that chief security orders urged them to close the station, but did not provide further details. Located between two of the most populous squares in Cairo, Ramsis Square and Abdel Moneim Riyadh Square, the station connects large numbers of citizens from El-Marg metro station to Helwan metro station. Moreover, Tahrir Square has been closed for all traffic since Saturday evening, when protests broke out following the verdict dismissing murder charges of former president Hosni Mubarak. Since the ouster of Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, Tahrir Square has been closed regularly in anticipation of protests. The square holds a strong iconic value as it was the main site of the 25 January Revolution in 2011. In July 2013, Cairo's metro authority also closed the Sadat metro station located in Tahrir Square, following a turbulent security situation. The station has been exposed to several attacks, in attempts to block the entire metro service. However, despite its significance in the ongoing political struggle, Sadat metro station is also vitally important to Cairo commuters, both due to its central location and because it is one of two stations where it is possible to transfer between the two main metro lines. The closure has caused problems in the already crowded metro system and has inconvenienced millions of Egyptians.
