Hundreds gathered in New Maadi's Gazayer Square to protest police abuse with a particular focus on abuse against drivers of microbuses.
Earlier in the day, a microbus driver and a police officer had an altercation over a traffic accident. After the argument became physical, the police officer, Salah Ashraf Sageeny, took out his gun and shot the microbus driver, Atef Miniawy, twice in the neck.
The driver was killed. Those gathered to witness the fight attacked the police officer and burned both the police truck and the police officer's personal car. The police officer is presently in the hospital.
As news of the incident spread, residents of New Maadi and Basateen districts gathered in Gazayer Square calling for better treatment from the police force.
“They have only been back for two days now, and already they are shooting people?" asked one bystander, in disbelief, as he watched protesters jump atop of burnt cars. Protesters had chased police forces out of Cairo's main cities on 28 January. Only recently have police forces begun to trickle back.
Presently, Maadi faces gridlocked traffic, with drivers leaving their cars for the streets either in protest or in an effort to circumvent the traffic and leave the district. “They’ve set the Maadi Police Station on fire,” said a microbus driver trapped in the square by the Maadi Club. This report remains unconfirmed.
