Security forces arrest 16 protesters in Tahrir Square
Ahram Online, Sunday 28 Sep 2014
Interior ministry claims protesters arrested were Ultras Ahlawy, while the pro-Morsi "Students Against the Coup" group claims its members stormed Tahrir Square in a flash protest


Security forces arrested 16 protesters in Tahrir Square in Downtown Cairo early Sunday, reported Al-Ahram Arabic portal.



According to the Ministry of Interior, the 16 protesters were member of Ahly Sports Club fans group "Ultras Ahlawy 07" who were protesting the decision of the interior minister to ban the return of fans to attend football games in stadiums for security reasons.



The protesters reportedly were arrested after storming Tahrir Square chanting anti-police and anti-state slogans, and setting off fireworks.



Protesting without prior authorisation from the interior ministry has been banned in Egypt since November 2013 and the issuance of a controversial protest law. Thousands of protesters have been arrested and sentenced since. Several parties and political movements, as well activists, demand the law is either amended or cancelled.



Later on Sunday, Egypt's Ahly Club will face Cameroon's Coton Sport in Cairo Stadium. Fans are not allowed to attend the game for security reasons.



Tarek El-Awady, a lawyer for the Ultras groups, denied on his Twitter account that the detained protesters were Ultras members. "Ultras Ahlawy denies that its members have been arrested or they have stormed Tahrir Square in the first place," tweeted El-Awady Sunday afternoon.



Meanwhile, the pro-Morsi student group "Students Against the Coup" announced that it was the one that organised the protest in Tahrir Square against the visit of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to Cairo University Sunday evening.



"Here is the answer on the visit of the military coup's leader to the Cairo University campus after Al-Nahda Square's massacre and the killing of seven students [on] campus. Students Against the Coup surprised the coup's security and organised a protest today in Tahrir Square," said the group on its Twitter account (@SACMov) Sunday afternoon.



The group published two screencaptures from a Livestream video showing a small number of young protesters in Tahrir Square with fireworks.



President El-Sisi will visit Cairo University Sunday evening where he will address the nation and also honour outstanding students from across Egypt's universities.



At least 11 university students were killed in the 2013-14 academic year during clashes with security forces in the wake of the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.



"Students Against the Coup" organised many of rallies at several different universities, but especially at Cairo University, demanding the release of detained colleagues arrested during clashes and protests across the country.



The new academic year 2014-15 will start 11 October in public universities across the country, having been pushed back from its usual date of 21 September because of maintenance works, according to the Ministry of Higher Education

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