Socialist activist reportedly shot dead by security during protest dispersal

Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, a leading member of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, was shot dead on Saturday in clashes that erupted in Talaat Harb square in downtown Cairo. Health Ministry Spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar told Mada Masr that the victim was shot in the face with birdshot and died shortly before arriving at the hospital.

Abdel Ghaffar added that the body has been transported to the Zeinhom morgue, and that no other casualties were reported.

According to local media reports, the party organized a march on Saturday afternoon from their headquarters in Hoda Shaarawy Street to Talaat Harb Square. Security forces dispersed the march using tear gas and arrested a number of demonstrators, including Talaat Fahmy, the party's secretary general, and Mohamed Saleh, a party member. State-owned Al-Ahram reported that six individuals had been arrested at the protest.

Reports also state that other protesters were injured during the march. The demonstrators were allegedly carrying signs with the famous revolutionary slogan, "bread, freedom and social justice," and called for revenge against what they called the "killers of the martyrs." 

The party stated on their official Facebook page that Sabbagh was shot by the police during a peaceful march that only aimed to place flowers in Tahrir Square on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the January 25 revolution.