Egyptian police supress protests against President al-Sisi

Egyptian security forces used tear gas to disperse small protests against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday (April 25), witnesses said, deterring what opposition groups expected to be a day of large demonstrations against his rule.

Videos uploaded to social media showed anti-regime protesters chanting and marching in the leafy Dokki neighbourhood before they were dispersed.

Earlier this month, thousands of Egyptians angered by Sisi’s decision to hand over two islands to Saudi Arabia called for his government to fall in the largest demonstration since the former military general took office in 2014.

Security forces moved swiftly on Monday to prevent a repeat of this scenario, blocking roads in Cairo leading to popular downtown meeting points and dispersing the march in the Dokki neighbourhood with tear gas as it took off, a witness said.

Other videos and pictures posted on social media also showed that teargas was used at a small protest in the Imbaba district.

Jets and helicopters circled over Cairo.

Police in recent days have arrested over 90 people across eight governorates, according to the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a Cairo-based human rights group. Groups of youth were arrested from coffee shops and others targeted in their homes, it said.

The ministry of interior was not immediately available for comment.