Cairo bomb blast follows death of female protester

Cairo bomb blast follows death of female protester
A bomb blast wounded a policeman on the anniversary of the January 25th Egyptian revolution, after the death of two female protesters in two days.
2 min read
25 January, 2015
Protesters have rallied against the authorities in Cairo [Anadolu]
A policeman has been wounded Sunday in Cairo after a bomb blast struck in the city on the fourth anniversary of the 2011 revolution against former president Hosni Mubarak.

The anniversary has been marked by a tightening of security by the authorities, with armoured vehicles stationed across Tahrir Square, a symbol of the 2011 uprising.

The stepped-up security follows the death of two female activists in two days, the latest of which, Shaimaa al-Sabbagh, 34, was killed yesterday.

The Egyptian authorities, led by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who ousted Muhammed Morsi in a coup in July 2013, have clamped down heavily on dissent, often arguing that their opponents are "terrorists".

Today's bomb exploded in eastern Cairo's Alf Maskan neighbourhood, according to the interior ministry. A similar blast occured on Friday, wounding four policemen and a civilian, and was claimed by the militant group Ajnad Misr.

Mother killed in "protest dispersal"

The death of a female protester on the eve of the revolution's anniversary has sharpened criticism of the Egyptian authorities, and raised tensions ahead of the highly symbolic date.

Sabbagh, a mother of a five-year old boy, was killed after police forcefully dispersed a leftwing protest in central Cairo.

Fellow protesters said the leftist Popular Alliance member was hit by birdshot when police fired to disperse the march. The authorities are now investigating Sabbagh's death.

A video posted online appears to show Sabbagh being hit.

Chanting revolutionary slogans, she is seen to fall after gunshots ring out. She is later shown carried by a male protester as blood seeps from her mouth. Associated Press said that the videos are consistent withtheir reporting on the shooting.

Sabbagh's death followed that of Sondes Abubakr, 18, on Friday in Alexandria.

Abubakr was protesting when she was killed. 

Sisi has shown zero tolerance for street protests since a law adopted in 2013 banned them without prior permission. Dozens of activists, including Alaa Abdelfattah, have been convicted and jailed for violating the law.

The Muslim Brotherhood have been the primary target of the government crackdown, as well as other opponents to the coup against Morsi, who was a member of the Brotherhood.

Police have warned that they would "decisively" confront protests on Sunday, as anti-Sisi groups said they would stage protests.