National Security foils MB attempt to provoke chaos in Cairo

CAIRO – 8 December 2017: National Security forces foiled attempts by the Muslim Brotherhood to provoke chaos in the streets of Cairo on Friday.

The Turkey-based spokesperson for the group, Yasser al-Omda, planned to take advantage of the protests launched against U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Omda ordered a youth group to announce a movement called "Ghalaba” through social media, calling on citizens to gather in front of the mosques in Cairo and across Egypt to join anti-Trump marches.

Brotherhood elements attempted to infiltrate the protests, clashing with security forces and destroying private property.

Earlier, the Interior Ministry monitored social media sites that called on Egyptians to protest and incited violence against the state, most notably in a video in which the "Ghalaba” movement appeared.

The Interior Ministry then asked its citizens to refrain from participating in the chaos and violence at protests.

Hundreds of Egyptians protested on Friday at Al-Azhar Mosque against Trump’s decision of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Protests sparked following Friday prayers and demonstrators chanted phrases against Trump’s decision such as “Jerusalem is Arab” and “Down with Israel…down with the U.S.”

"It is the headquarters of many government ministries. For many years, visiting American diplomats met their Israeli counterparts in Jerusalem… It is now the heart of one of the most successful democracies in the world," Trump stated during his speech on Wednesday.