In London, el-Sissi seems to have more fans than haters

Hundreds turn out in support of Egyptian president as he visits UK, while a smaller number protest his trip

LONDON — Campaigners opposed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi on Thursday blocked the entrance to Downing Street, which houses the London residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron, ahead of a meeting between the two leaders. But they were outnumbered by those proclaiming support for the military chief turned political leader.

Around 200 people were demonstrating against Sissi’s human rights record. Police removed five protesters dressed in white boiler suits as they lay on the pavement playing dead while blocking the gates to Downing Street.

One had “Freedom” written on his back and another “Human Rights,” while a third wore a noose around his neck.

The protesters wore T-shirts with the four-fingered “Rabia” logo, which is associated with those killed in the crackdown on the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp in Cairo in 2013.

“He took the presidency by the sword, by killing,” said a man who gave his name as Abu Hamza. “The world must know that he’s a killer and does not deserve the presidency.”

“Why are protesters being arrested when it’s Sissi who should be arrested?” said Anne Alexander of the Egypt Solidarity Initiative. “He shouldn’t be having lunch with the prime minister. He should be in jail.”

Protesters against the expected visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shout slogans and wave placards and flags showing the four finger symbol known as "Rabaa", meaning four in Arabic, which is associated with those killed in the crackdown on the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp in Cairo in 2013, outside Downing Street in central London on November 5, 2015.(AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS) — Protesters against the expected visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shout slogans and wave placards and flags showing the four finger symbol known as “Rabaa”, meaning four in Arabic, which is associated with those killed in the crackdown on the Rabaa al-Adawiya protest camp in Cairo in 2013, outside Downing Street in central London on November 5, 2015.(AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS)

They were countered by a group of some 300 Sissi supporters, who held placards reading: “We love you Sissi” and “Welcome Sissi.”

“Egypt was lost,” said 50-year-old restaurant owner Magdi Khalil, a supporter of the president.

“We were going on the path of Syria and Libya. Sissi and the army rescued Egypt.”

“Those (anti-Sissi protesters) are liars and traitors,” added an Egyptian policeman who declined to be named, who said he was in London for treatment for a bullet wound to the leg. “They are neither Muslim nor brotherhood. They plant bombs, they attack police.”

Sissi and Cameron were to talk Thursday about security and the plane crash in Sinai last Saturday, as concerns mount it could have been caused by a bomb. Cameron himself said Thursday that the crash was “more likely than not” the result of a bomb.

Britain on Wednesday suspended flights to and from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh due to new information that suggested a “significant possibility” the crash was caused by a bomb.

Sissi’s visit is his first to Britain since he led the Egyptian army’s overthrow of his Muslim Brotherhood predecessor Mohamed Morsi, and critics have accused Cameron of putting trade interests above human rights.

They accuse Sissi of crushing all opposition in Egypt and jailing thousands of people, from Islamist Muslim Brotherhood supporters to secularists and leftists.