CAIRO — Dozens of young men and women activists were detained Nov. 26 in the courtyard of a garage belonging to the General Authority for Roads, Bridges and Land Transport, adjacent to the Egyptian Shura Council building. The activists were surrounded by security forces as they awaited the arrival of additional police transport vehicles to supplement the contingent on the scene, already filled to the brim with their comrades, following their protest in front of the Shura Council. This demonstration was held to affirm their rejection of the new protest law — which went into effect that day — and object to the article permitting civilians to be tried in military courts, which the 50-member constitutional committee is leaning toward including in the new constitution.

Such was the scene observed by Al-Monitor from inside the Shura Council building, where activists continued to challenge security forces by chanting slogans against the demonstration law, even after the police arrested them and dispersed their colleagues by using water cannons and firing weapons in the air. 

The cries grew louder as a few members of the constitutional committee approached, having adjourned their meeting to listen to the young people’s demands. Upon seeing them, the female activists yelled, “We have been dragged on the ground, beaten, sexually harassed and had our clothes torn off.”

The young detainees were extremely agitated as they chanted “null and void,” refusing any attempts by movie director and constitutional committee member Khaled Youssef to calm them down. Youssef was at the head of the delegation that came out to meet with the protesters before they were transported to the prosecutor’s office and charged with violating the new demonstration law and failing to obtain permission to demonstrate. In the end, Youssef had to retreat and walk away after one of the protesters cursed and insulted him.