Several polling stations nationwide witnessed protests during and after the sorting of ballots cast in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, resulting in casualties–among both police and protesters–and property damage.
In Luxor, clashes broke out between the police and supporters of a number of independent candidates on Sunday evening, and lasted until dawn on Monday, damaging six cars and wounding five protesters and security personnel. The clashes erupted when electricity was suddenly cut from the Luxor Club polling station, prompting the supporters of independent candidate Radwan Abu Qarin to protest.
In Fayoum, members of the Muslim Brotherhood group staged protests before the Gamal Abdel Nasser School polling station, claiming the station administrators rigged the elections in favor of the candidates of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). The protesters destroyed the ballot boxes and beat the administrators, before they were stopped by security forces.
In Daqahlyia, 4000 people staged demonstrations before the Sherbin polling station when the announcement of the election results was delayed, and when they heard that NDP candidate Al-Arabi Shama had won.
In Minya, supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Baha Eddin Sayed Atteya held protests when they knew that their candidate had lost. Security services in armored vehicles gathered in the city in anticipation of an outbreak of violence.
In Ismailia, two police officers were injured as demonstrators stormed the Al-Ferdan polling station when they heard that NDP candidate Adel Abdel Ghany, former assistant to the Interior Minister, had won, prompting station administrators to suspend the polling.
The two officers are currently being kept under strict security in fear that protesters would assault them in the hospital.
In Sohag, the Muslim Brotherhood group said in a statement that security forces had arrested five of the supporters of their candidate Mokhtar al-Beh. The statement accused the security services of rigging the elections in favor of NDP candidate Hazem Hammady.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
