A Dark Day: Women Were Publicly Assaulted At The President of Egypt's Inauguration

Former General Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi was sworn in as Egypt's president on Sunday, but for many women in Cairo, that day's celebrations turned dangerous.

On Monday, a video emerged on YouTube of an angry mob stripping and attacking an Egyptian woman attending one of the inauguration celebrations. At least five other women reported being sexually assaulted during the festivities on Sunday.

According to I Saw Harassment, an organization that seeks to record incidences of violations against women, at least four of the attacked individuals had to be hospitalized.

Some Egyptian journalists attempted to report on the assaults when they learned that they were occurring.

Samar Negida from the privately owned channel Tahrir TV went live talking about the reports that women had been sexually assaulted, but was interrupted by fellow anchor Maha Bahnassy, who laughed off the concern with the comments,"Well the people are happy. The people are having fun."

Although Bahnassy's remarks caused a public outcry, it's unclear whether Egyptian police acted with the same level of urgency at what was happening to women in the crowds.

The arrest of three men was ordered following Sunday's attacks, but it's unclear whether they've been apprehended and if they were the only individuals at fault in this matter.

via Middle East Monitor, Photo Credit: Getty Images