Egyptian Security Forces Fire Teargas at Student Protests
Protesters block a road during clashes with riot police in front of Al-Azhar University in Cairo October 20, 2013.
Egyptian security forces fired bird shot and teargas to prevent supporters of deposed Islamist President Mohamed Morsi from marching on Sunday to the site of a protest camp that was destroyed two months ago, a Reuters witness said.
The crowd of about 100 people were students from Al-Azhar University, the historic seat of Sunni Muslim learning. They threw rocks at riot police stationed outside the gates of the university, and police threw the stones back.
The university is in the same Cairo suburb as the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, scene of one of two pro-Mursi protest camps crushed by security forces on August 14. Hundreds of protesters were killed.
"Rabaa Square is completely off-limits," a security source said. "Protesters are not allowed to move inside it." A separate security source said 11 students had been arrested.
Authorities have cracked down hard on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood. The group was outlawed by a court order after the army overthrew Morsi and installed an interim government in July following massive street protests a year after his election.
Brotherhood leaders, including Morsi, have been arrested on charges of inciting or taking part in violence.
Brotherhood supporters say they will keep protesting until the army-backed government falls. But demonstrations are far smaller than the ones that immediately followed Morsi's downfall.
The Interior Ministry said in a statement that security forces took action after 3,000 students blocked roads around the Al-Azhar campus.
A few police trucks kept students from moving beyond the front entrance of the facility.
"We want the return of legitimate rule to Egypt, we want the return of President Morsi" said Mohamed Magdi, a commerce student. "We are unarmed students. We just approached them and said 'you are our police' and then they attacked us."
The students had been protesting for the second day on campus in support of Morsi. Graffiti scrawled on university buildings condemned General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief who toppled Morsi, as a murderer and traitor.
"We will take measures to continue studies even with the continuation of the demonstrations," said Ibrahim el-Hadud, a university official.
The army rejects allegations from the Brotherhood that it deposed Morsi in a coup and says it was responding to the will of the people.
The government refers to the Brotherhood as "terrorists" and does not distinguish between the movement and al Qaeda-affiliated groups in the lawless Sinai Peninsula who carry out almost daily attacks on security forces.
The Brotherhood describes itself as a peaceful movement.
Heavy Casualties Reported in Egypt
1/16A member of the Egyptian security forces speaks to a woman holding a stick as they clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, at the smaller of the two camps, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2014.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
2/16Supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi surround a burning police car during clashes with Egyptian security forces in Cairo's Mohandessin neighborhood, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
3/16Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans against Egyptian Defense Minister Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi during clashes with Egyptian security forces in Cairo's Mohandessin neighborhood, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
4/16A police vehicle is pushed off of the 6th of October bridge by protesters close to the largest sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
5/16A member of the Egyptian security forces holds up a copy of the Quran as clear they clear the smaller of the two sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
6/16Supporters of Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi clash with the Egyptian security forces as the forces clear their sit-in camp in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
7/16Makeshift wooden huts burn at a sit-in camp set up by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi as Egyptian security forces clear the camp near Cairo University in Cairo's Giza district, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
8/16Supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi carry another as Egyptian security forces clear a sit-in camp set up near Cairo University in Cairo's Giza district, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
9/16A protester comes to the aid of a wounded comrade as security forces clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
10/16Supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, stand among debris and smoke in background as they confront Egyptian security forces trying to clear the smaller of the two sit-ins, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday,
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
11/16Egyptian security forces clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
12/16Protesters throw stones at Egyptian security forces trying to clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
13/16Egyptian security forces detain protesters as they clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
14/16A wounded protester lies on the ground as Egyptian security forces clear the smaller of the two sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
15/16A lightly wounded member of the Egyptian security forces talks with other officers as they clear sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, August 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
16/16Fires burn as Egyptian security forces clear a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the eastern Nasr City district of Cairo, Egypt, Aug. 14, 2013.
News media in Cairo are reporting heavy casualties after Egyptian security forces moved in on two sit-in protests supporting ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi.
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