Supporters of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, deemed a terrorist group earlier in the week, have set fire to buildings at al-Azhar University in Cairo.
Health ministry offices at the university said that students were fighting police officials when one protester was shot dead, according to BBC News.
The Associated Press reports that police say that they came onto the campus to prevent supporters of the recently expelled President Mohammed Morsi from threatening other students trying to take their tests. Students supporting Morsi have been participating in an exam boycott.
Students at al-Azhar have been protesting for weeks. This led to a state crackdown, labeling Morsi’s group, the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist group.
Supporters of Morsi entered buildings on campus to harass students and faculty. Some fired gunshots into the air, others smashed furniture.
Aya Fathy, a student spokeswoman, disagreed with the claims that officials were making. According to Fathy, students have been protesting peacefully so far. She also said that it was the police officials set fire to the buildings, allegedly set fire by students, so that they could blame the supporters.
A security official confirmed the death of Khaled el-Haddad and said that 14 others were injured. The official also confirmed that 68 students, seven of them female, were arrested.
Officials have warned anyone who is thinking about joining the Muslim Brotherhood that a serious prison sentence will follow supporting the terrorist group.