CAIRO: Hours ahead of a protest called for by number of public servants against the controversial new Civil Law Saturday, the Ministry of Interior announced that no protest permits have been issued.
“Reports claims that protest permits were given to a number of organizers are groundless,” an anonymous security official from the ministry told Youm7 Saturday. Since November 2013, it has been illegal to protest in Egypt without prior approval by security forces.
Some 26 state representatives from various governmental institutions, called the Coordinative Solidarity, have urged for the protest, calling for President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to cancel the law he passed in March, as t could cut their monthly allowances and incentives.
A coalation of 35 labor unions, syndicates, and movements said the protest will be held in Cairo Fustat Garden in Heliopolis at 1:00 p.m., and no religious or political slogans would be raised.
The coalition warned of any police interference, blaming Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab’s government on any possible negative effects on their protest; more security forces have been deployed in the vicinity of the garden.
“We will not allow breaching the protest law, and deal decisively and strongly with any law breaches, banditry, or working against the citizens’ interests,” a police general told Youm7 Monday.