Protesters against the visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are corralled back to their pen by police as they demonstrate outside Downing Street in central London yesterday.

AFP
London

Campaigners opposed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi yesterday blocked the entrance to Downing Street, the London residence of Prime Minister David Cameron, ahead of a meeting between the two leaders.
Around 200 demonstrators protested against Sisi’s human rights record, but they were outnumbered by those proclaiming support for the Egyptian leader.
Police removed five anti-Sisi protesters dressed in white boiler suits, who lay on the pavement playing dead while blocking the gates to Downing Street.
One had “Freedom” written on his back and another “Human Rights”, while another wore a noose around his neck.
The protesters wore T-shirts with the four-fingered “Rabia” logo, which is associated with those killed in the crackdown on the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp in Cairo in 2013.
“He took the presidency by the sword, by killing,” said a man who gave his name as Abu Hamza.
“Why are protesters being arrested when it’s Sisi who should be arrested?” said Anne Alexander of the Egypt Solidarity Initiative  
“He shouldn’t be having lunch with the prime minister. He should be in jail.”
They were opposed by a group of around 300 Sisi supporters, who held placards reading: “We love you Sisi” and “Welcome Sisi”.
“Egypt was lost,” said 50-year-old restaurant owner Magdi Khalil. “We were going on the path of Syria and Libya. Sisi and the army rescued Egypt.”
“Those (anti-Sisi protesters) are liars and traitors,” added an Egyptian policeman who declined to be named.
Sisi and Cameron later held talks on security and the Sinai plane crash, as concerns mount it could have been caused by a bomb.