Cairo: Egypt's presidential elections commission has shut down its main office in Cairo after thousands of supporters of an Islamist contender protested.
"The commission members saw there was a danger to the lives of all those working inside the office and decided to evacuate it from the staff because there was no enough protection," said Hatem Bagatu, the secretary-general of the panel.
He added that documents related to the election process and candidacies are kept inside the office.
The supporters of Hazem Salah Abu Esmail, an ultra-conservative Salafist presidential hopeful, late Friday rallied to the site of the commission in the eastern Cairo area of Heliopolis, shouting slogans against it in an anticipation of a decision to disqualify him.
Earlier this month, the commission said it was officially notified by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry that Abu Esmail's late mother was a US citizen.
Under the Egyptian constitution, presidential candidates, their parents and spouses must be only Egyptian citizens.
However, a Cairo court said earlier this week there was no evidence that Abu Esmail's mother had a dual citizenship.
His supporters have vowed to continue their strike outside the commission's office until it validates his presidential bid.
Known for his anti-US rhetoric, Abu Esmail, 50, is one of the strongest contenders in the May 23-24 vote, Egypt's first since Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February last year.
The commission is expected to announce a final list of the eligible contestants late this month.
