Authorities in a village in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag arrested 17 people on Monday after protests against an under-construction sewage station, which locals fear would be a source of pollution and disease, were dispersed by police.

Ahmed El-Sayed, one of the protesters, told Al-Ahram Arabic website that locals are also angry that the facility will not serve the village of East El-Sawmaa itself, and cited a lack of essential public services in the village.

State news agency MENA reported that dozens of locals took to the streets on Monday to protest against the government's construction of the facility. Some protesters set tyres on fire and blocked a road in the village.

Police fired teargas to break up the demonstration as protesters threw stones at the security forces, MENA said.

Seventeen people were arrested after the protests were dispersed.

Protests without a police permit are illegal in Egypt; violators of the law are often subject to jail time

Source: Ahram online