One person was arrested after shotgun pellets were fired on a platform where supporters were staging a rally in support of presidential candidate Omar Suleiman in Abbasseya, Al-Masry Al-Youm reported Friday evening.
Police officers detained one individual suspected of participating in the attack, Al-Masry Al-Youm's website reported. Following the suspect's arrest, crowds began chanting "Suleiman" again.
The website of independent newspaper Al-Shorouk quoted an eyewitness source who said a group of thugs unaffiliated with any political movement attacked the stage on Friday, firing once with a shotgun and throwing six molotov cocktails. The eyewitness said a number of supporters had been injured in the attack.
Hisham Shiha, undersecretary for clinical affairs at the Ministry of Health, said that at least five people were injured in the attack, mostly with cuts, minor burns from thrown stones and the molotov cocktails, the website of the independent daily Al-Tahrir reported.
Shiha also said that skirmishes between demonstrators in Tahrir Square earlier that day resulted in nine injured, four of whom were taken to hospital.
Earlier Friday, Suleiman announced that he would appease his contingent supporters and run for president, if he is able to collect the required 30,000 citizen or 30 MP signatures of support before the deadline.
Suleiman was appointed vice president by Hosni Mubarak during the 18-day uprising against his rule.
