Egyptian Culture Minister Mohammed Saber Arab has resigned in protest over the police crackdown on protesters over the past week.

The Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram said on its website that the culture minister tendered his resignation on Monday in response to an incident that sparked public outrage, in which police were caught on video beating and dragging a naked man during a demonstration on Friday outside the presidential palace in Cairo.

Meanwhile, on Monday police fired tear gas at demonstrators in the Nile Delta city of Tanta after the funeral of an activist who died in police custody.

The activist, Mohammed al-Guindi, 28, was picked up by police in Cairo's central Tahrir Square on January 25, during a demonstration commemorating the second anniversary of the country's uprising.

He was later taken unconscious to a hospital and died of his injuries on Monday. Doctors at the hospital said that al-Guindi was in a coma when he died and had suffered brain damage and multiple fractures.

Human rights groups condemned the incident, calling it another act of police brutality.

On Friday, clashes broke out outside the presidential palace after demonstrators attacked the premises with stones and petrol bombs. One person was killed in the skirmishes between protesters and security forces.

On Saturday, Egypt’s National Salvation Front (NSF) called for “all those responsible for killings and torture and illegal detention to be fairly tried, starting with the president.”


The opposition group said it “completely sides with” anti-government protesters and backs their calls to topple President Mohamed Morsi.

The NSF ruled out talks with the president until “the bloodletting stops and those responsible for it are held accountable.”

A week of violence between protesters and the security forces has left 59 people dead and many more injured.