Anti-governoment protesters forced the closure of several governors' offices across Egypt on Monday as protests demanding early presidential elections and the ouster of President Mohamed Morsy spread.
Massive protests at several provinces on Sunday, marking Morsy's first year in office, saw violent clashes that left around 14 people dead, according to media reports.
Tamarod, a grassroots petition campaign leading the call for elections, had called on Egyptians to besiege all governorate buildings to heap pressure on the Morsy administration.
In Sohag, Upper Egypt, dozens closed the governorate office with chains, setting up protest tents and blocking state employees from entering the building. Some workers claimed governor Yahia Abdel Azim did not come to work on either Sunday or Monday.
Police intervened to separate protesters from pro-Muslim Brotherhood employees dismayed by the closure.
A statement by the protesters demanded the president be prosecuted for demonstrators' deaths and the governor removed over his failure to provide citizens with necessary services.
Demonstrators in Assiut also prevented the governor, Yahia Keshk, and staffers from entering the governorate building. They said they would stage a sit-in until Morsy stood down as president.
In Monufiya in the Nile Delta, the governorate building remained closed for the 15th day running. Demonstrators also shut down municipal offices for the second day.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
