Crackdowns are being enforced to preserve public space, says lawyer CAIRO: Vendors in the historic Wakalit Al-Balah market say that government harassment is damaging their livelihood after three days of crackdowns by riot police. Armed riot police with helmets and crowd-control shields have stormed the area and forcibly removed iron shelves and hanging units, which the vendors use to display clothing, underwear and fabrics. The police also remove whatever goods are being displayed on their shelves and load them into pickup trucks. They ve taken everything. Look at the mess they ve made, said one shop owner yesterday, who declined to give his name because he was afraid of police reprisals. I don t know if it s ever going to end. The merchants complain that the methods being used by police are overly harsh and are scaring away customers. One fabric retailer, who also declined to be named, estimated that about 90 percent of his business was lost because of the raids. They shouldn t do it this frequently and they shouldn t be doing it with this intensity. It s as if they re bullying, he says. The reason they have these 20 cops is that if anyone tries to resist, they can just beat them down. At 2 pm on Thursday two Daily Star Egypt reporters watched as 20 riot police swept into the area and tore down several vendors display shelves on Mohameden St., which is one of Wakalit Al-Balah s main streets. As a large but silent crowd gathered, police dismantled shelving units and tore down tubular metal poles used to hang fabric. Other vendors scrambled to clear away their goods and close up shop so their goods wouldn t be confiscated. Saad Zahgloul, an appeals lawyer, told The Daily Star Egypt that a new, sweeping campaign to clean up Cairo s streets began four days ago. He noted that the campaign is expected to last for another month and added that the policy is being applied to every business that occupies public space outside of its official boundaries. This includes clearing up sidewalks, street corners and squares on city boulevards and the new law applies to businesses like coffee shops, auto parts shops, tea houses and street vendors, said Zahgloul. In some cramped and crowded central city neighborhoods like Attaba, the campaign could help to alleviate congestion and increase traffic flow, he added. However, Zaghloul was surprised to hear that the campaign was being applied in Bulaq s Wakalit Al-Balah market, because it is such a well-known area with no significant automobile traffic. It s unhealthy for the economy, he said, adding that such crackdowns will simply push people into illegal activities and lead to a growth in Egypt s black market. The policy is going to cause more problems than it will solve if it s applied without consideration to different places like Wakalit Al-Balah, says Zaghloul. Not all vendors are opposed to the clean up, however. A coffee house owner in the neighborhood told The Daily Star Egypt that streets are too cramped and clogged up and that they should be cleared. However, when asked for his name, the man said: Of course I won t give you my name. This is the third world.
