مركز هشام مبارك للقانون

The Front Defending Egyptian Demonstrators
Press Release (11)
Cairo Streets Empty
Dispersing El Mahala Strike
Popular Response Goes Far
Arresting Activists from Homes and Offices

Cairo
Cairo, the usually busy city, with all its crowds of citizens and its traffic jams, and the shops which never shut down their doors day or night, creating an endless noise that reaches the heavens… all these features of the "Cairo" which we know have disappeared today! The city is calm, the streets are empty and most of the shops are closed.

The most visible feature of Cairo today is that of the security forces, either in plain clothes or in official uniforms, and of the central security trucks which are located in the centre of the city.
This reflects the extent of popular participation to the Strike & Stay at Home" call. So we can notice that the popular response to the call was far wider than expected.

But the state of calmness might change by midday (2 pm) because of the calls for demonstration in Tahrir square and in front of the Bar Association and in Giza square, in addition to several other neighborhoods.

On the other hand, Mohamed Abdel Qoddus (member of the syndicate of journalists board) was arrested in front of a newspapers stall down town, and Mohamed El-Sharqawy in front of his house in Sheikh Zayed city, and Mohamed Lashqar from his office, and Fathy Farid from Tahrir Square.

Moreover, Malek Mostafa was arrested yesterday, and he would be standing in front of the public prosecutor's office today. Akram El-Irany, Hassan Abdallah and Ahmed Said on the other hand stood in front of Misr Al-Qadima prosecutor's office yesterday, and it was decided to re-interrogate them today. 

Others also were arrested: Rami Yehia, Ahmed El-Gizawy, Bahaa Saber, Mohamed Ali, Ibrahim Fouad.

On the other hand, security forces succeeded in dispersing a demonstration organized by the workers of Al-Nil for Nile Transport Company in front of the ministry of labor forces. The company's workers, about 500 workers, gathered in protest against ignoring their demands, and nobody was arrested.

El Mahala:
El Mahala city has been turned into a military barracks in which the security services cordoned every inch of the well-known labor city. Not only had the streets cordoned off, but also El Mahala plant was raided by security personnel in plain clothes at 3.00 a.m. to stop the third shift. Due to the split occurred between the strike leaders, the security personnel succeeded in separating the night and morning shifts, a matter that undermined and aborted the would-be strike. Like Cairo, El Mahala streets were empty except for security. The empty streets have asserted the popular response to Stay at Home call.

Alexandria:
The Stay at Home call has witnessed a great popular response in Alexandria where security personnel have cordoned off Misr Station and turned Al Manshia neighborhood into a military barracks in an attempt to abort the lawyers' demonstration scheduled for 12 p.m. in front of Al Haqania Court. Taking pre-emptive measures, the security staff arrested four activists: Ahmed Iraqi Nassar, Qotb Hassanein, Ahmed Magid, and Al Sayda Ahmed Foda.

The Front consists of The Hisham Mubarak Law Center; Al Hilali Society for Liberties (Bar Association); The Democratic Lawyers Group; Al Hilali Association for Liberties; Freedom of Thought and Expression Association; The Egyptian Association for Promoting Societal Participation; Al Mahala Lawyers Committee.