Interior Minister Asks Egyptians To Celebrate On 25 January

Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim called on Egyptians to congregate in city squares on Saturday to celebrate the “January 25 revolution,” adding that police forces are “fully prepared” to secure such celebrations despite plans by the Muslim Brotherhood to stage protests on the same day.

Speaking at a ceremony for new police cadets in New Cairo on Monday, Ibrahim said proactive measures were in place to detect “terrorist elements” planning to ruin the celebrations.

Any attempts to disturb law and order will be met with extreme force “adhering to the law,” the minister was quoted as saying by state news agency MENA.

Ibrahim said he had discussed the preparations for the “popular celebrations of 25 January” with his deputies and several security leaders in a meeting on Sunday.

According to the Ministry of Interior’s official Facebook page, security forces will intensify patrols and checkpoints at key locations on Sunday

Ibrahim said that he gave orders for extra security measures for vital institutions such as prisons and police stations.

“Armed security forces guarding these institutions will be equipped with heavy weapons … to stop any attacks,” read the ministry statement.

The National Alliance in Support of Legitimacy has called for “a serious escalation of peaceful protest activities” on 25 January against “the military coup” against former president Mohamed Morsi, according to the Muslim Brotherhood’s official English website Ikhwanweb.

The interim government officially declared the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, a terrorist group in December.

Saturday is the third anniversary of 2011’s “Day of Rage,” when protesters demonstrating against police brutality took to the streets of Egyptian cities, triggering days of mass protests which led to the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak in February.

Source : Ahram