A video circulating on social media appears to show a policeman slapping a woman who refused to allow men to ride in the women’s-only carriage of Egypt’s metro.
The video, posted by Egyptian daily El-Watan News, shows a crowd gathering around a woman screaming at a policeman and several men attempting to ride in the women’s carriage. Several men continue to shuffle into the carriage as the woman fights with the policeman, while many of the women already sitting inside the carriage can be seen watching passively.
After debating at the entrance of the carriage, the woman takes a seat inside, where she and the policeman continue to quarrel and the policeman can be seen extending his arm towards the woman, whose screams can be heard from outside the carriage. However, due to the quality of the video, it is unclear if he slaps her or only threatens to do so.
Eventually, the policeman is seen pushing the woman, who is still screaming, off the metro.
The women’s-only carriages have long been a source of quarrels in Egypt’s metro, although they were included as part of the subway’s service since its inception in 1987.
The segregation is largely aimed at reducing incidents of sexual harassment, particularly as the metro’s often-crowded carriages can result in unwanted physical contact.
In 2012 alone, 775 million people entered Cairo’s subway, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
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[…] Recent incidents among low ranking policemen, who do not have to undergo the same training and study as police officers, have included sexual harassment, beating of a doctor in a hospital, and the assault of a woman at a Cairo metro. […]
[…] Darbaka’s death came amid mounting calls for reform among Egypt’s low ranking policemen. Recent incidents among low ranking policemen, who do not have to undergo the same training and study as police officers, have included sexual harassment, beating of a doctor in a hospital, and the assault of a woman at a Cairo metro. […]