CAIRO — Anger is increasing inside a number of Egyptian universities in Cairo and across the country’s governorates over security policies and the storming of college campuses by police. The unrest led to the death of an engineering student Nov. 28; the government insists that the school year be completed and the educational process be controlled through security measures to quell student protests.
The university riots were at the top of the cabinet’s priorities last week, following the disruption of studies on a number of campuses. Students announced open-ended sit-ins that would continue until their demands, including the prosecution of all individuals whose actions resulted in the death of the engineering student, are met. This would entail the ouster of the interior minister and the dismissal of Minister for Higher Education Hussam Issa for his role in allowing security forces to enter the university campus. The students also demand that the security forces vacate the perimeter of campuses, the detained students be released and all wounded students be treated with state funds.
