Journalists protest attacks in Egypt

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CAIRO, March 17 (UPI) -- Journalists in Egypt protested Sunday against being attacked -- while reporting on another protest -- by the Muslim Brotherhood, which denied the allegations.

Dozens of reporters said members of the Muslim Brotherhood became violent with protesters Saturday during a demonstration against Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mogamed Badie near the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in the Mokattam district of Cairo.

Badie was meeting with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal during the protest, Ahram Online reported.

Journalists Syndicate Chief Diaa Rashwan said Brotherhood members also began attacking reporters and photographers who were on the scene covering the protest.

"While [our] colleagues were performing their duties before the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Moqattam, where a group of opponents were expressing their opinions by drawing on the ground and a Hamas official was meeting inside with Brotherhood officials, a group of Brotherhood youth, including the personal guard of Khairat al-Shater, attacked the protesters, then the reporters and photojournalists to prevent them from performing their duties," he said in a complaint as quoted by al-Masry al-Youm.

Mahmoud Hussein, the general secretary of the Muslim Brotherhood said the media exaggerated the Saturday attacks, Ahram Online reported.

He said there were "provocative measures taken by the protesters" as well as by journalists and photographers.

Cairo Security Chief Osama Samir said 15 people were arrested for carrying Molotov cocktails during the protest and that five police officers were injured during the incident.

The location of Sunday's protest by journalists was not reported.