File photo from a Cairo University student protest (Reuters)
Seventeen Egyptian university student movements are calling for a "rage" protest on Thursday to demand the release of student protesters detained by military police during last week’s violence in Cairo’s flashpoint Abbasiya Square.
Student protesters plan to set out at 1pm from Cairo University to the Ministry of Higher Education before continuing on to Egypt’s parliament building.
In a joint statement, student groups asserted: "We’ll either attend our final exams together or you [the military] will have to arrest us all." The final examination period for the spring semester at Egyptian universities will begin this month.
Over 300 people were arrested during a sit-in protest in Abbasiya on Friday, including journalists and field hospital doctors, as well as university students. The ensuing clashes that erupted between protesters and military personnel left at least 11 dead and over 300 injured.
Fifteen female detainees were released by authorities on Saturday, and two days later seven Al-Azhar students were released following a series of protests by Al-Azhar University students.
Student movements taking part in Thursday’s planned march include the Cairo University Student Union Association; April 6 Students; the Muslim Brotherhood Student Movement; Youth For Justice and Freedom; the German University in Egypt Student Movement; the Revolutionary Socialists; students associated with the Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh presidential campaign; Students of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party; and nine other student movements.
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