Following yesterday’s clashes between security forces and families of martyrs, high-level Egyptian officials have started speaking publicly in attempts to dissuade protesters, implying that the clashes were organised in order to cause chaos.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has released Communiqué 65 on their official Facebook page, in which they described yesterday’s events as “destabilising to the safety and security,” of the nation. They also described yesterday’s clashes as “organised and orchestrated,” to “use the blood of the martyrs” to create tensions between Egypt’s security forces and the nation. SCAF also asked the Egyptian people and the youth of the revolution to resist and protect Egypt’s stability during these difficult circumstances.

Prime Minister Essam Sharaf echoed this sentiment, insisting that yesterday nights’ events were “organised” to create chaos in the country and urged the people to not let the gains of the revolution fall apart.

Speaking to the “Good Morning Egypt’ program on Channel ONE of the Egyptian state TV early today, Wednesday, Sharaf pointed out that the clashes in Tahrir Square are a “test’ for the youth of the revolution and insisted that he is following the situation with the Minister of Interior Mansour El Eissawi.

Sharaf has also revealed that investigations are currently being conducted to find the instigators of this crisis to punish them, adding that Egypt was slowly inching towards stability before the clashes. He also said that preparations are underway to answer the demands of the martyrs’ families.

“We are now setting up a governmental fund to offer services to the families of the martyrs and we also have several projects underway,” Sharaf said. “There are also many doctors who are willing to treat the families of martyrs and we are studying that.”

Sharaf also said that yesterday the police was only protecting public property and only used violence when violence was used against it. He added that now they are now working to reform the police force.

El-Eissawi pitched in, saying that the police force exhibited “wisdom and the highest level of self-control,” in the way they dealt with the clashes in Tahrir Square. He added that they are currently protecting the public and private properties in the area around the square. El-Eissawi also met early today with officials from the ministry to assess the situation.

In a statement released yesterday, the ministry of interior said that during the evening of 28 June, an NGO was honouring the families of victims in the Balloon Theatre in El Agouza suburb of Cairo, when a “group of individuals,” tried to barge into the theatre and claimed that they are also families of martyrs.

When the organisers of the event refused to let them enter, they slammed the gate until its glass broke.

However, security forces stated that they managed to control them and detained seven.

The “crashers” then headed to the state television building, Maspero, where they were joined by protesters and headed to the ministry of interior in downtown Cairo, where, as the ministry of interior claims, they began attacking stores and cars, injuring several citizens, passersby and policemen who worked in the area.

When the security forces tried to stop them, they headed to Tahrir Square and continued their thuggish acts there.

“The security forces are dealing with the situation according to the developments taking place and recording the injuries and damage to property and taking the necessary legal procedures.

Yesterday, Tuesday at 3am, El-Eissawi ordered all security forces to withdraw from Tahrir Square and not to clash with citizens in any manner. At dawn, the minister told the official news agency, MENA, that he will “personally” investigate any police violations against citizens.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/15254.aspx