Since November the interior ministry and municipal workers have started a campaign to close tens of unlicensed cafes in downtown Cairo as a step to restore both order in the streets as well as the "glory" of old Downtown Cairo.
The government also moved hundreds of street vendors who packed downtown streets and sidewalks for years to the outskirts of the area.
Street vendors or growing number of cafes according to official statements .
The downtown cafes represent a popular and cheap attraction in the heart of the city for youth searching for fun and entertainment over tea and shisha.
Photos: Mai Shaheen