Egypt’s "Bus Girl" sparks outcry over harassment incident in Cairo

Viral video of Maryam Shawqi facing harassment on public transport ignites national debate on women’s safety and police action in Egypt.

Annahar

Egypt’s "Bus Girl" sparks outcry over harassment incident in Cairo

Illustrative image.

Egyptian social media was abuzz following an incident in the Mokattam area of Cairo, inside a public transport bus, documented by a girl named Maryam Shawki in a video where she appeared to be "asking for help after experiencing inappropriate behavior from a young man on the bus," according to Egyptian media.

Maryam, publicly known as "Bus Girl" and 27 years old, revealed details of the incident, stating that she was subjected to attempted harassment and assault by an unknown person, which prompted her to document the incident with a video and file an official report.

She confirmed she was heading to the public prosecution to complete legal procedures.

Within hours, the video spread widely, sparking anger in the Egyptian public, with calls for accountability and greater protection for women in public transportation.

A protest in Egypt condemning harassment (Egyptian media).

The widespread circulation of the video played a role in prompting a security response. As the young man's image spread, Egyptian security forces began investigations to determine the circumstances of the incident. A research team from the Cairo Security Sector was formed in coordination with information technology authorities to trace the bus route and review surveillance cameras around stop stations until the suspect's identity was determined.

After legal procedures and setting up ambushes, Egyptian forces managed to arrest him, although he denied the accusations when confronted with the video.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian public prosecution began investigating the incident, ordered the video to be seized and referred for technical examination to verify its details, and tasked the police with preparing their investigations.

The Public Prosecution ordered the detention of the young man accused of harassment and assaulting the girl pending the outcome of the police investigations.

The investigative authorities also decided to release the victim from the prosecution headquarters after hearing her statement regarding the incident.