The Cabinet vowed to continue implementing the law, linking it to Egypt's fight against terrorism, a term used to label actions by supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood group. Still, the Interior Ministry appeared to be trying to avoid an immediate clash, saying it has granted a permit for a protest today.
The announcement by prosecutors that the activists would be held for questioning came a day after security forces broke up two small protests in Cairo by secular activists, blasting them with water cannons and beating many. A group of around a dozen female protesters were detained by police and dropped off in the desert in the middle of the night to intimidate them, several of them said.
The government has said the law is necessary to put an end to persistent protests by supporters of Morsi, the elected president who was removed by the military in July in popularly backed coup. Instead, it has sparked a confrontation with secular youth activists and revealed fragility of the loose alliance that emerged after the coup against Morsi.
The Interior Ministry said on its Facebook page that it had given the protesters permission to hold their rally today afternoon. While it was not clear if any of the organisers applied for the permission, the new law requires organisers to apply for a permit at least three days ahead of the demonstration, suggesting that the ministry acted unilaterally to avert a repeat of yesterday's scenes of violence.
Still, the Cabinet said in a statement that it is determined to implement the protest law with "all firmness and force" and give full support to the police, "so freedom doesn't turn to chaos.