Committees protect women protesters

Popular committees in Egypt formed a circle around female participants during protests at Tahrir Square in Cairo on Sunday. Members of the committees wore phosphorus jackets and distantly encircled women gathering in front of the Square's stage holding Egyptian flags. The committee members spread out at all entrances to the Square, starting at the intersection between Qasr el Nile and Bustan street, in front of the Egyptian Museum. They checked identities and inspected people arriving to the Square to avoid any violence or harassment. A member from the committee, Mohamed Abdel Rahman, said: "We encircled the area where women and girls are protesting to help them feel safe and secure as they fight for their country's right." The committees move comes as reports of sexual assaults and harassment dominate streets of Egypt.  A new wave of sexual assaults by groups of men targeting women has been reported during recent anti-government protests, especially at Cairo's Tahrir Square.