Egypt is placed under martial law in response to widespread riots against the British

Updated: 24 Jan 2020

Egyptian army tanks and field guns are drawn up in front of the royal Abdin Palace, in Cairo, on July 26, 1952

From 1951 to 1952 Egypt was ravaged by violence and anti-British protest. In October 1951 the Egyptian Parliament approved the unilateral official cancellation of the Anglo-Egyptian Alliance Treaty of 1936 and appointed Crown Prince Farouk as king.

Between November 1951 and January 1952 armed clashes ensued between British troops and guerrilla squads comprised of students, peasants, workers and radical intellectuals. Many stores, cinemas, hotels and offices were damaged as a result of these riots. During the protests, attention was moved away from ethnic, religious and foreign minorities to the British, uniting the local people. On 26 January 1952 King Farouk declared Martial Law and dismissed the acting Wafd government. He appointed Ali Mahir, an independent conservative, to form a new government. Mahir failed to bring peace to Egypt and resigned on 1 March 1952.

How we know this

01alhafeez, (1999), Anti Ahmadiyaa Movement in Islam - Chapter 17, from alhafeez, 23 February, [online], Available at alhafeez.org [Accessed: 07 January 2014]
02Laskier, M.M., (1995), Egyptian Jewery under the Nasser regime, from Historical Society of Jews from Egypt, [online], Available at www.hsje.org [Accessed: 07 January 2014]
03Bobby-Evans, A., This day in African History: 26 January, from About.com, [online], Available at africanhistory.about.com [Accessed: 07 January 2014]

Last updated · 24 Jan 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Egypt is placed under martial law in response to widespread riots against the British. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011770

South African History Online (2011) 'Egypt is placed under martial law in response to widespread riots against the British', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011770 (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

South African History Online, Egypt is placed under martial law in response to widespread riots against the British [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011770, (accessed 7 October 2026).

"Egypt is placed under martial law in response to widespread riots against the British." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011770. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Egypt is placed under martial law in response to widespread riots against the British." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011770.