Cairo: Egypt’s president urged citizens to defend the state and its institutions from the “forces of evil” on Sunday, a day before planned anti-government demonstrations.
In a widely televised speech, Abdul Fattah Al Sissi insisted on the need for stability in the Arab world’s most populous country, saying that attempts to degrade it “won’t be successful” if Egypt stands united.
“We must protect these institutions because these mean the state,” he said. “I am reiterating to the Egyptian people this is the responsibility of all of us, for us to protect this security and stability.”
Al Sissi’s comments raise the possibility of large-scale counter-demonstrations that could spark violent confrontations.
Protests are essentially banned in Egypt under laws passed after Al Sissi led the military overthrow of his elected but divisive Islamist predecessor, Mohammad Morsi, in 2013.
Several calls have been made on social media for Monday’s demonstrations to converge on Tahrir Square, epicenter of the 2011 revolt against former Egyptian President Husni Mubarak.
Since Friday, security troops have been out in force, with armored personnel carriers stationed at key traffic areas, while security agents have rounded up dozens of activists, journalists, and lawyers from their homes and cafes in downtown Cairo.
Two Interior Ministry spokesmen did not respond to repeated telephone calls seeking comment.
Also Sunday, Interior Minister Magdy Abdul Ghaffar met with officials to review preparations to confront any attempts to “break the law,” the ministry said in a statement. It quoted Abdul Ghaffar as saying that the security apparatus would be ready to address any action that could disturb public security with “the utmost firmness and decisiveness,” urging citizens to ignore calls to create chaos and drive a wedge between the people and police.
