Egypt: clashes in al-Areesh between the police and demonstrators

Clashes took place on Friday between the Egyptian police and 750 demonstrators in the Egyptian city of al-Areesh, while demanding the release of their relatives, detained following the Taba explosions which took place in October 2004.

Witnesses said that the clashes in which the police used sticks resulted in injuring three demonstrators and one police officer slightly. And that the police arrested 12 demonstrators and released 9 of them after a while.

The witnesses said that hundreds of citizens gathered following Friday's prayers in front of al-Rafeaa mosque in the downtown of al-Areesh in order to demonstrate, led by 30 women and girls and wives of men held as a result of the Taba incidents. The police closed all streets surrounding the mosque in order to prevent others joining the demonstration or its progress.

One participant in the demonstration said "upon the movement of the demonstration, we were surprised to see scores of policemen besieging us. However, the participants headed forward and this resulted in clashes between the two sides, and five persons were injured slightly." He said that the police arrested 15 citizens.