Four tourist groups visited the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square following its re-opening on Sunday morning. The Museum was secured from both the inside and out following the government's decision to re-open the museum to international and local tourism.
The Egyptian authorities had closed the Egyptian Museum on Saturday after bloody clashes erupted between the armed forces and demonstrators. The latter were staging a sit-in at the square to demand that deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak be brought to justice.
In a statement on Sunday, Egyptian Minister of State for Antiquities Zahi Hawass said the Egyptian Museum is completely secure. He said both the armed forces and the Tourism and Antiquities police have increased their presence there in order to secure the museum from both inside and out.
Hawass went on to say that the museum received a number of tourist groups of various nationalities on Sunday. He also said he was in constant communication with the museum’s director Tariq al-Awady regarding the museum’s security situation in order to ensure the safety of its visitors.
Hawass added that both the Coptic and Islamic Museums in Cairo were been closed on Sunday as a precautionary measure due to inadequate security around the two museums in light of recent events.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
