The way in which the Egyptian authorities and the security forces are continuing to deal with increasing protests in the Suez Canal cities and other cities across the country "reflect ignorance and oppression," Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the Constitution Party and leading member of the opposition umbrella group the National Salvation Front (NSF), said on Thursday.

This represents a "lack of understanding and lack of adequate management" on the part of the authorities, ElBaradei said on his official Twitter account.

His comments come in response to ongoing protests in the Suez Canal city of Port Said and other Nile Delta cities including Mansoura, which have witnessed violent protests between police forces and protesters taking part in a 'civil disobedience' campaign.

Port Said has been upholding a 'civil disobedience' campaign for 12 days against what they claim to be their increasing marginalisation and demand an independent investigation into the deaths of protesters in recent clashes concerning the Port Said Football massacre trial.

The city of Mansoura in the Nile Delta governorate of Daqahliya has also launched acts of civil disobedience since the start of the week, asserting it is a form of increased pressure against the government's continued neglect of protesters' demands. 

The NSF recently announced it would not take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections to begin on 22 April and will instead call for a boycott.