Egyptian Interior Ministry re-evaluate security

Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Ismail Osama said a meeting was held by the Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin in the early hours of Sunday morning, aimed to evaluate security concerns following recent attacks on Wafd Party headquarters. Major General Osama added the Interior Minister was considering modernising security forces’ armaments after the use of firearms and cartridges by protesters in recent clashes. Successful security measures would be vital in the second phase of the Constitutional Declaration referendum, he said. All Egyptians had a right to demonstrate and protest peacefully, the spokesman said, providing it did not violate the rights of others, responding to accusations that abuses had been carried out by supporters of Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail outside Media Production City. The protest in front of the Media Production City was peaceful, General Osama claimed, as the Interior Ministry witnessed no attacks against employees, except for one case which the Ministry has taken legal action against. The Interior Ministry has deployed 24-hour security patrols around the building, following requests from editors from a number of independent newspapers. No legal action would be taken against Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail after his call for a protest in front of the Dokki police station. Major General Osama said the call was for a peaceful protest outside the station and did not include any threats or attacks, which are criminalised by law.