Student Killed in Clashes With Police At Cairo University

Egypt student rebellion at Al-Azhar University against the ongoing rule by the military. The incident took place on October 20, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Student killed in clashes with police at Cairo University

Ahram Online, Thursday 28 Nov 2013

Clashes took place between protesting students and security forces at Cairo University

A student was killed in clashes at Cairo University between protesters and security forces on Thursday afternoon, spokesman of the coroner's office Hesham Abdel-Hamid and head of the Ambulance authority Ahmed El-Ansari told AFP.

Mohamed Reda was killed by a birdshot injury to his neck and another student, whose name has not yet been released, has been hospitalised after sustaining a severe injury, reported Al-Ahram's Arabic news website.

Angry students attempted to block the subway line at the station adjacent to the university, but were dispersed by security forces, Al-Ahram reported.

Several hundred students were protesting inside the campus to denounce the harsh jail sentences recently given to 21 female protesters in Alexandria who had been demonstrating in support of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

The Alexandrian protesters were given sentences of up to 11 years each on charges of destruction of private property, attacking security forces and fomenting violence.

The interior minister said in a statement issued on Thursday evening that students at Cairo University had marched outside the campus "blocking traffic" and "hurling stones at security forces based outside campus."

The statement added that security forces told students through speakers to enter campus grounds, "but they did not listen and insisted on blocking the road." Four of the students were arrested.

The events come only two days after police arrested dozens of protesters at two non-Islamist demonstrations in central Cairo, stirring widespread criticism.

On Thursday, security forces also fired teargas to disperse another protest against the Alexandrian protesters' sentencing at Alexandria University, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported.

A controversial new protest law was issued on Sunday which requires that protest organizers notify authorities three days in advance of any demonstration, and mandates heavy jail terms and fines for individuals who break the law, as well as escalating measures that security forces can deploy in dispersing protests.

The government says a protest law is essential in dealing with the recent unrest.

Last week, the cabinet issued a decision allowing security forces to enter university campuses without requiring permission from the university heads or the general prosecution, as was previously mandated.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/87750.aspx