One person was killed and at least 11 were wounded on Sunday in clashes between the army and protesters sparked by concerns about pollution from a fertiliser plant in northern Egypt, the state news agency said.
Protesters closed off the port of the northern city of Damietta, on the Mediterranean, and roads adjacent to it, MENA said, adding that they had prevented ambulances from passing through to help those wounded in the clashes.
The protests began on Tuesday as residents demanded the relocation of a nitrogen plant jointly owned by state-owned Misr Oil Processing Company (Mopco) and Canadian firm Agrium.
A security source said demonstrations in Damietta began over the plan to set up two new fertiliser plants in the area, but ended with the demonstrators demanding the original plant also be shut down.
Medhat Youssef, CEO of Mopco, told MENA that the firm would comply with any decisions taken by a committee formed by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf to inspect the environmental safety of the plant, and was also ready to receive committees by the World Health Organisation.
Youssef added that the environmental ministry and environmental inspection committees had issued reports showing the plant was safe. The security source said at least 11 people had been injured in the clashes as the army tried to disperse protesters. A security source said an army officer was among those wounded, blaming the injury on protesters carrying arms.
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