Interior Ministry warns against ‘unlawful practices’

The Interior Ministry warned against “non-peaceful and unlawful practices” in a statement Sunday, specifically events that might threaten the lives of peaceful citizens, impede the movement of pedestrians or public transport,  and violate public or private property, which the statement added would be dealt with according to the law.

Ministry authorities coordinated with Cairo University to raise student awareness and warn them against inflicting violence, the statement added.

The comments followed information the ministry received regarding a group of students at Cairo University planning an off-campus protest, which it claimed was expected to grow and utilize firearms and Molotov cocktails, aimed at causing casualties among protesters.

Clashes erupted Sunday afternoon between police forces and Al-Azhar University students allegedly affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, in front of the university dormitory.

According to privately owned daily Al-Masry Al-Youm, the students threw stones at police forces outside the university fence, who responded with teargas and water hoses.

A number of students from the Road to the Revolution Front organized a march Sunday afternoon in the downtown Talaat Harb Square, demanding the release of colleagues arrested in recent events.

The march later moved to the Supreme Court after students were threatened by local street vendors who demanded they leave the square within thirty minutes.

In Minya, an off-campus student protest took to the main streets of the city, demanding the return of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, and demanding the release of their fellow students and the rescinding of the protest law. Chants were against the police and the Armed Forces. Security responded with teargas to disperse the protest.

According to Al-Shorouk newspaper, 150 students from various universities were arrested last week.