DSE: Activists cancel Downtown demo for security threats

Activists cancel Downtown demo for security threats

By Liam Stack and Alexandra Sandels
The Daily Star Egypt staff

First Published 5/6/2007

CAIRO: State security forces and plainclothes agents swarmed Talaat Harb square on Friday night due to rumors of a mock ‘wedding party’ organized by Egyptian opposition activists to mark the wedding of Gamal Mubarakand his bride Khadija El Gammal in Sharm El-Sheikh the same day.

Due to the heavy security deployment activists decided to cancel the protest shortly before its scheduled start at 6 pm, leaving a field of security troops and accompanying army trucks patiently awaiting their appearance for hours.

"Bloggers and activists were planning to hold a mock wedding celebration for Gamal Mubarak and his bride, but the security situation did not allow for it as you can see for yourselves," journalist and blogger Hossam El-Hamalawy told The Daily Star Egypt pointing to the hordes of soldiers.

As reporters from local and international channels arrived on the scene, state security troops quickly surrounded the group urging them not to take pictures and leave.

"This is surreal. It really shows how frightened the government is of the opposition activists. All this circus for a small group of bloggers holding a peaceful protest," El-Hamalawy sighed.