The UK Foreign Office said Sunday it would temporarily close its Cairo embassy main building, after Egyptian authorities dismantled concrete barriers that had sealed off the British mission in Garden City for years.
The move follows rising pressure from pro-government political parties and commentators in Egypt, who framed the years-long closure of the street as a violation of national dignity, especially after the recent arrest of Egyptian activist Ahmed Abdel Kader, known as “Mido,” by London police.
“On Sunday 31 August security barriers outside the British Embassy in Cairo were removed by the Egyptian authorities,” the embassy said in a statement, adding that “The main Embassy building will be closed while the impact of these changes is reviewed.”
Local media figures and political actors swiftly portrayed the barrier removal as retaliation. Pro-government presenter Ahmed Moussa wrote on X, “As the great people demanded last week, the will of the Egyptian nation was carried out today. The streets around the British embassy, closed for years, have been opened.” He called the removal a correction of “a long-standing imbalance,” citing both disrupted public movement and a need for reciprocity.
Last week, London police briefly detained Ahmed Abdel Kader, also known as “Mido,” during his campaign titled “Protect Egypt’s Embassies,” which called on supporters to defend Egyptian diplomatic missions from protests abroad. His arrest—amid criticism of Egypt’s closure of the Rafah crossing—prompted sharp responses in Egypt.
The National Front Party called the incident a violation of diplomatic norms and human rights, describing Mido as “a loyal Egyptian son.” It also criticized the British embassy’s heavily secured compound and urged the government to reassess diplomatic privileges for foreign missions.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty instructed ambassadors in a leaked video call to take strict action against anyone interfering with embassies. Referring to a protester who padlocked the Egyptian embassy gate in the Netherlands, he warned. “No one touches the wall. If they do, you make an example of them,” he said.
Pro-government activists abroad, including Abdel Kader, have grown more vocal in recent weeks, advocating for the protection of Egyptian embassies in light of rising international criticism over Egypt’s role in the war on Gaza.
