Egypt Curbs Sale Of Yellow Vests Over Fears Of Copycat Protests

Egyptian authorities have placed restrictions on the sale of yellow reflective vests, fearing opponents might copy French protesters ahead of the upcoming anniversary of the 2011 “Arab Spring” uprising that toppled long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak. So-called “yellow vest” demonstrations over a now-shelved tax hike have rocked Paris over the past two weeks, leading to calls for President Emmanuel Macron’s resignation. In Egypt, representatives of companies that manufacture and distribute the industrial vests reportedly were summoned to Cairo for a meeting with senior officials that informed them of the new rules. Rights groups have accused the government of Abdel al-Fattah al-Sisi of using an anti-terrorism campaign as cover to crack down on political dissent.