Members from the Muslim Brotherhood instigated the ongoing strike held by hundreds of low ranking policemen in Nile Delta’s Sharqiya on Saturday, an unnamed security source told state news agency MENA.

The security source stressed that members of the Brotherhood incited the lower-ranking policemen to protest, which led to a halt in the services provided by several police stations in the governorate.

The source added that the protesters were paid by the Brotherhood in return for protesting, and asserted that the interior ministry will take the necessary legal action against those who incited and participated in the strike.

The protesting policemen are demanding financial incentives for the months of June and July, along with being provided medical treatment in police hospitals, a health service currently exclusive to police officers.

This is not the first time the low ranking policemen have held demonstrations in Egypt. Since 2011, low-ranking policemen have held frequent demonstrations to protest deteriorating working conditions, low salaries, and a lack of safety.

In February 2014, low-ranking policemen protested in Alexandria and Kafr El-Sheikh to demand higher wages and better working conditions despite a law passed in December 2013 that bans all protests not pre-approved by authorities. 

In November 2013, then interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim said the Muslim Brotherhood was behind attacks targeting police personnel in the country. In December 2013, the Brotherhood, from which ousted president Mohamed Morsi hails, was declared a terrorist organisation.