Tear gas in Azhar, Ain Shams universities and Qasr al-Aini hospital

In a continuation of clashes between protesting students and police forces, violence erupted on Wednesday in Cairo, Al-Azhar and Ain Shams universities.

Several students reported on Twitter that police forces raided Ain Shams University, firing tear gas and pellets on campus, causing injuries to several students.

One student, Magda Tarek, reported through her Twitter account that students hid out in the faculty of law building while tear gas filled the campus.

The clashes started with rock throwing between protesting students and university security guards.

Police forces also entered the Azhar University campus following clashes with students, according to the state-owned EgyNews website.

Additionally, police arrested 15 students who were protesting at Azhar University in Assiut on Wednesday. According to state-owned Al Ahram, the police forces attacked the students when they tried to leave campus to protest in a nearby square. The police forces fired tear gas on students and chased them back into campus, while students retaliated with Molotov cocktails and rocks, according to Al-Ahram.

Clashes between police and students at Cairo University reached the Qasr al-Aini hospital and the Cairo neighborhood of Manial.

Police fired tear gas on protesting students who blocked Manial street, according to Ahram.

Students began their march in Qasr al-Aini after police appeared in Nahda Square, their usual starting point. Medical students reported through social media that police fired gas into Qasr al-Aini hospital, suffocating patients.

Medical student Nader al-Sayed posted on his Twitter account a picture of Qasr al-Aini hospital completely engulfed in a heavy cloud of tear gas.

University protests have been escalating in violence since September.

Human rights lawyer Emad Mubarak had demanded the suspension of classes on his Twitter account last week, saying that 12 students have died since the start of this academic year.