Egypt’s interior ministry has deployed "secret police" to Cairo's parks and gardens in an attempt to prevent robbery and sexual harassment during the Sham el-Nessim national holiday on Monday (April 9th), according to Cairo governor Atef Abdel Hamid.
Hamid said significant measures had been taken to secure the capital's public parks and gardens during the holiday, with an operations room set up to monitor the situation in every park, Egypt’s Ahram Online reported.
Monday marks the traditional Egyptian spring holiday of Sham el-Nessim, which is often celebrated with family outings to parks and other outdoor excursions. Reports of sexual harrassment in public places are normally higher during the holiday.
Egypt’s security forces typically boost security during national holidays, with female police officers deployed to prevent sexual harassment on the streets.
Sham el-Nessim always falls on the day after Easter Sunday in the Coptic Christian calendar.
