Security forces spread 11,000 soldiers in the streets of Port Said during President Hosni Mubarak’s visit to the city Monday. The forces closed all streets and lined up along the president’s motorcade route.
Just before the visit, the police detained Islamic group activists, citizens reported with psychological ailments and laborers from outside the cities.
"I couldn’t go to an important court hearing," said lawyer Mohamed el-Domok. "The police didn’t allow me to cross the street."
Mohamed el-Katatni, another citizen, said he couldn’t go to his diabetic mother to give her an insulin shot.
During his visit. Mubarak approved the new expansion of the city to include Port Fouad and Porto Marina. He also inaugurated a new military hospital and visited a few factories in the city. He then attended a rally for local council leaders, who were instructed by the ruling party’s local representative Mahmoud el-Menyawi to applaud at certain points of the president’s speech.
Other projects that Mubarak announced during his visit were digging a tunnel under the Suez Canal, which is financed by the UAE, and allocating 2800 acres of arable land for the city.
Mubarak was accompanied by the prime minister and the ministers of defense, interior, health, investment and information.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
