Egypt's Interior Ministry says law enforcement agencies have arrested at least 25 students, including 11 from al-Azhar University, during violent clashes in capital, Cairo.

This comes after students gathered in large crowds in universities across Cairo to condemn the army and renew their demand for the reinstatement of the country’s first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi.

The Egyptian Interior Ministry said in a statement that eleven al-Azhar students and 14 students from other universities were arrested on Wednesday.

Some media reports said the security forces arrested a large number of students as they smashed windows, hurled chairs and covered walls of an administrative building with graffiti.

"Arrest anyone you see. Bring me those kids. If you see anyone just arrest them right away," media outlets quoted a senior security official as saying.


The developments come hours after authorities announced the detention of Muslim Brotherhood leader Essam El-Erian, part of a crackdown against the movement.

Security forces arrested el-Arian, deputy leader of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, after storming his house. Erian was the most senior Brotherhood figure on the run after the arrest of nearly all of the group's top leaders.

A large number of Brotherhood’s officials and supporters have been held in custody by the military and police forces since the ouster of former Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, in early July.

Since the start of the academic year in September, Egyptian university campuses have witnessed a number of protests.

The developments come as demonstrations by Morsi's supporters against the government are still being held across Egypt despite the interim authorities’ efforts to widen crackdown on Morsi backers.

The interim government took power after Morsi was ousted by the army on July 3.

Morsi has been held in an unknown location since his overthrow. He is due to stand trial on November 4 on charges of inciting violence.

Hundreds of supporters of the group have been killed in clashes with the army over the past few months.