Protest demonstrations took place in Egyptian cities and villages, from Alexandria in the north to Aswan in the south, to demand the departure of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, despite the state of security alert that preceded calls for the exit of the protests.

Protesters demonstrated in the Al-Basateen neighborhood, in the center of the capital, Cairo, chanting slogans calling for the departure of Sisi, but security crowds confronted them, firing tear gas and birdshot to disperse them.

Earlier, security forces broke up a demonstration in the village of Al-Kuddaya, Giza Governorate.

Local sources said that the Egyptian security forces attacked the village, and fired bullets and gas to disperse the demonstrators.

Videos showed the demonstrators smashing a police car amid the encouragement of the people present, despite the police response to them.

The demonstrators held banners calling on Sisi to leave.

The escape of a police armored vehicle after clashes with the people of "Saqr Quraish" in Al-Basateen against the background of a demonstration calling for the departure of # Sisi pic.twitter.com/xSbhBHnlEG

- Al Jazeera Egypt (@AJA_Egypt) September 20, 2020

The pioneers of social networking sites shared video clips from Al-Damisi village in Al-Saf center in Giza governorate, showing people blocking the road by lighting tires and putting obstacles.

Parents chanted, "Sissy, go," and "You don't want him."

Activists have also published videos that they say are of demonstrations on Warraq Island in Cairo, calling for the departure of Sisi.

Sources told Al-Jazeera that Egyptian security forces disperse tear gas and birdshot in a similar demonstration in Al-Maamoura, Alexandria.

Other demonstrations also took place in Qalyubia and Aswan.

Egyptian media sources reported that Al-Sisi issued a decree to pardon the rest of the punishment for some of the convicts on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day, which will be held next October 6.

Opposition sources had talked about an intelligence report submitted to Sisi that spoke of the growing state of anger in the street, and suggested several measures, including: stopping the demolition of homes on the grounds that they violated licensing requirements, stopping raising prices, and taking initiatives similar to releasing some prisoners.

Security alert

Egypt is witnessing a security alert that coincided with calls for protest demonstrations launched by the Egyptian artist and contractor Muhammad Ali, and adopted by a large number of Egyptian opposition forces.

The security services preempted the protests by launching a campaign of arrests that included political figures, including the left-wing political thinker Amin al-Mahdi and a number of activists, especially in the eastern city of Suez.

Pro-regime media launched a sharp attack on the calls for demonstrations, considering them part of an external conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the state.

The Egyptian media launched counter hashtags calling on the Egyptian president to remain in power, in response to hashtags launched by the opposition calling for him to leave.

Muhammad Ali had expected a wide response in the Egyptian street to the calls to demonstrate today, launched in protest against the deteriorating living conditions.

He said that the year that has passed since his first call to demonstrate in September of last year, has witnessed developments in Sisi's policies that gave Egyptians greater determination and courage to protest, the latest of which was his decision to demolish violating homes.