Hundreds of low-ranking police officers protested outside the Ismailia court complex on Wednesday against what they said are unfair accusations against eight of their colleagues.

The Ismailia public attorney referred the eight officers from Abu Sir central police station to court on charges relating to 'work violations'. A prosecution employee made the allegations following a visit to the police station.

The protesters have threatened to resign en masse if the complaints are not withdrawn within nine hours and have said they will also hold partial strikes at nine police stations.

Egyptian police have been staging nationwide strikes since last week. Their demands were first articulated in the canal city of Ismailia, when security forces refused to deploy in nearby Port Said, where clashes had left hundreds injured and at least five dead, including security personnel.

The Ismailia strikers also protested against the detention of a police driver who ran over and killed a civilian in Mansoura during clashes between police and protesters on Saturday.

Police complain they are often put at risk during clashes triggered by political conflicts.

Some 8,000 police officers and recruits at 34 Central Security Forces camps in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and cities on the Suez Canal later joined the strike.

Officers at dozens of other police stations joined the strike in other governorates, including Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Gharbiya, Assiut, Menoufiya, Damietta, Mansoura, North and South Sinai and Mahalla, to protest against their exposure to high risks during clashes with demonstrators.