Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood has vowed to defend its buildings against demonstrators after Egyptian security forces clashed with protesters outside the headquarters of the party in the capital city, Cairo.
“We have the right to defend our buildings, using all possible ways, if the police force does not defend them,” said Brotherhood Secretary General Mahmud Hussein at a press conference on Thursday.
“We confirm that protecting public and private property is the responsibility of the police in the first place, even if it is our right to defend ourselves and our headquarters and property, which we will not abandon,” he added.
On March 17, Egyptian security forces guarding the MB headquarters in Mouqatam district, near central Cairo, fired tear gas to disperse dozens of protesters who were hurling stones at the guards.
The demonstrators staged the protest against what they called an assault on journalists. The protesters chanted slogans against President Mohamed Morsi and held banners which read, “Down with Brotherhood rule.”
The protest came after the MB supporters attacked a cameraman and a group of journalists covering a meeting between Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal outside the headquarters of the party.
The newly elected head of the Journalists’ Syndicate, Diaa Rashwan, slammed the police violence and called on Badie to apologize over the assaults. Rashwan also urged Morsi to condemn the incidents.
He did not rule out the likelihood that the attacks against the journalists had been carried out under the order of the MB leaders.
MB spokesperson Yasser Mehrez has denied the accusations, saying, “Clashes erupted because some people tried to break into the Brotherhood’s headquarters. The young members of the Brotherhood did not intend to assault journalists or anyone else.”
“Everybody has freedom of expression and the right to protest, but insults and sabotage are unacceptable,” he added.
This is while, reports say that Egyptian opposition activists are set to stage similar rallies at the MB’s Cairo headquarters on March 22.