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Anti-government Protests Hit Egypt

In a scene eerily reminiscent of the beginning of the Arab Spring uprisings – and a show of dissent rarely seen in Egypt since Abdel el-Fatah el-Sisi assumed the presidency – security forces clashed with hundreds of anti-government demonstrators in Suez City on Saturday. It was the second night in a row that Egyptians took to the streets in response to an online call by Mohamed Ali, an Egyptian businessman in self-exile who has accused Sisi of rampant corruption. Demonstrations took place on Friday night there, as well as in Cairo and Alexandria. According to reports, security forces fired live ammunition at the demonstrators on Saturday, causing injuries. Protests have effectively been banned in Egypt since Sisi overthrew Muslim Brotherhood-associated president Mohamed Morsi, who collapsed and died of a heart attack in a Cairo courtroom in June. The Egyptian military has been waging a campaign against insurgents in the Sinai Peninsula over the past few years, although domestically, Sisi has contained most resentment against his government. In the interim, human rights groups have accused the regime of cracking down on the media and political opponents.