CAIRO — It has been a little more than 100 days since prominent activist Alaa Abd El Fattah was arrested on charges related to organizing an unauthorized protest. His detention has been repeatedly renewed and he is being held in prison without a trial date.

So is Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, a security guard whose supporters say was arrested after stopping to help women activists he saw being hit by police officers during a dispersal of the same protest. Much like thousands of other ordinary Egyptians and Muslim Brotherhood supporters swept up in widespread arrests since the military overthrew former President Mohammed Morsi in July, his case has not received much attention.

On March 9, a few dozen supporters of Fattah and Abdel-Rahman gathered in front of the Supreme Court building in downtown Cairo to demand their release. Fattah’s family also filed an official complaint with the Supreme Council of the Judiciary against the public prosecutor, which outlined violations they say took place during his arrest.

Their silent stand was met with anger by a crowd who chanted in support of the interim government and its popular defense minister, Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, shouting curses and insults, even calling for Alaa Fattah’s death for being a “traitor.” A clear divide between camps on Cairo streets is now commonplace, reflecting widening societal divisions in the lead up to presidential elections, which Sisi is expected to win if he runs.