Talaat Harb Square

The cities and main streets of Egypt witnessed a number of marches, demonstrations and rallies in preparation for the 4th anniversary of the 25 January revolution. The revolutionary demonstrations were faced by the Egyptian police with repression and live bullets, causing the death of senior activist Shaimaa El-Sabbagh of the Popular Alliance Party in Alexandria, as the first victim to fall on the 4th anniversary of the Egyptian revolution, 25 January 2015. El-Sabbagh died during clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Talaat Harb and Tahrir Squares, where the Socialist Popular Alliance Party had called for a silent march towards the Tahrir Square to place a wreath in the middle of the square in honour of the martyrs. One of the officers at the scene aimed at Shaimaa and shot her dead. He was consequently sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison, only to be acquitted soon after, thus ‘killing’ Shaimaa twice, despite witnesses’ confirmation that the officer aimed towards her.