Hundreds of salafists, including dozens of fully-veiled women, protested outside the Azhar offices in northern Cairo, urging the Muftī, a senior Muslim cleric in Egypt who issues religious edicts, to backtrack on his view on the head-to-toe veil.

The protesters raised banners that went further calling for Shaykh 'Alī Jum'ah, the Muftī, and Grand Shaykh of the Azhar Ahmad al-Tayīb to be sacked from their posts.

“We are in Egypt, not in France, where the veil is banned,” read one banner as another asked: “Is Jum'ah better than the imprisoned corrupt officials?”