The president of the Alexandria University Student Union Mahmoud Radwan shed light on the recently suggested protocol between the Supreme Council for Universities and the Ministry of Interior aiming at having police presence inside universities.
Radwan pointed out that such a protocol contradicts the Cabinet’s decision, which stipulated that police interference inside universities is only permitted upon a request or permission from the president of the university in question.
“How is the protocol going to be implemented, especially amidst vast student rejection of having police security forces on campus?” Radwan told Youm7.
All universities have their own security departments, referred to as Administrative Security. However, since September, 2013, a series of student outbreaks erupted in support of the Muslim Brotherhood in universities across Egypt. Soon the students attempted to take their protests outside university campus, and were faced by security forces.
Demonstrations continued and clashes between the two sides increased, resulting in the death of some students, mainly in Cairo at Al-Azhar Universities. Inside universities, some students assaulted deans and professors, and attacked classes, interrupting examinations.
On Jan. 20, Cairo University called on police forces to be present on campus to increase security checks on students and guarantee the safety of examinations, as university security were unable to contain the situation.
