The new measures in Egypt were quietly put in place ahead of next month’s seventh anniversary of the country’s Arab Spring uprising, as officials fear protests could erupt against the military-led government.

Security officials and retailers reported that industrial safety equipment dealers are now not permitted to sell the yellow vests to walk-in buyers, the “gilets jaunes” worn by French protesters in recent rallies and riots. Sellers are restricted to doing wholesale business deals with verified companies as long as they secure police permission. The officials told Associated Press (AP) told offenders would be punished but did not elaborate.

It comes as a youth group in Tunisia launched their own version of the French economic protests dubbed the “red vests” campaign, reflecting the country’s flag. Over 4,000 people have liked the Facebook page which has called for nationwide rallies against the country’s worsening financial woes.

In downtown Cairo, where security equipment is most commonly sold in Egypt, six retailers said they were no longer selling yellow vests. Two gave no explanation for the decision but four told AP they were notified by police to stop.

“They seem not to want anyone to do what they are doing in France,” one retailer said.

Another added: “The police came here a few days back and told us to stop selling them. When we asked why, they said they were acting on instructions.”

Security officials said industrial safety product importers and wholesale merchants were summoned to a meeting with senior police officers in Cairo this week and informed of the new rules.

They added that the restrictions would remain in place until the end of January, which for many years has been a flashpoint month for unrest in Egypt.

The protests in France erupted four weeks ago in neglected provinces against fuel tax increases. The unrest has escalated to rioting in the capital with demands for president Emmanuel Macron to resign.

The yellow vests worn by demonstrators have become a symbol of the wave of discontent.

Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Show all 25 1 /25 Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A Gendarmerie armored vehicles (VBRG) drives past fire near the Champs Elysees avenue during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes iN paris. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wearing "Yellow vests" (Gilets jaunes) demonstrate amid smoke during a protest of against rising oil prices and living costs in Paris. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A man lies on the ground near riot police on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Yellow vest (Gilet Jaune) protestors stand next to items set on fire on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vest" (gilet jaune) protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A protestor holds a sign reading "Macron stop hiding" near the Champs Elysees avenue in Pari during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alertwith major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police stand near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) hold a French flag with yellow stars near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on December 8, 2018 during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert on December 8 with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A protestor holds a sign reading "Macron stop hiding" near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert on December 8 with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police stand near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris on December during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police officers walk as protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) demonstrate against rising costs of living in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on. Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Yellow vest (Gilet Jaune) protestors stand next to items set on fire on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vest" (gilet jaune) protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wrapped in French flags lie on the ground near riot police on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police clash with men wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) protestors on December 8, 2018 near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A Gendarmerie armored vehicles (VBRG) drives past fire near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police prepares to shoot a tear gas canister on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Policemen stand as tear gas fills during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs on the Champs Elysees, near the Eiffel tour, in Paris. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Police forces detain a protestor wearing a "yellow vest" near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A protestor wearing a "Yellow vest" (gilet jaune) gestures during clash with riot police amid tear gas near the Champs Elysees in Paris during a protest of against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police officers smile next to protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) demonstrating against rising costs of living in the Champ Elysees in Paris. Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protesters wearing French flags and yellow vests lie on the Champs-Elysees Avenue near the Arc de Triomphe during a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris Reuters Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protesters wearing yellow vests kneel along the Champs-Elysees Avenue near the Arc de Triomphe during a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris, France. Reuters Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Mounted Police officers on their horses take their positions during clashes with yellow-vested protesters, in Paris, France, Saturday. Crowds of protesters angry at President Emmanuel Macron and France's high taxes tried to converge on the presidential palace Saturday, some scuffling with police firing tear gas, amid exceptional security measures aimed at preventing a repeat of last week's rioting. AP Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) and a flag of Normandy demonstrate amid smoke against rising costs of living in the Champ Elysees in Paris. Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Police forces stand in front of protestors near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Police forces stand in front of protestors at the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris on during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert on with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty

In Tunisia protesters launched a Facebook page over the weekend, saying they were targeting “corruption, high costs of living, unemployment and mismanagement” that coupled with disastrous governmental policies had led to “systematic impoverishment”, eight years after their own 2011 uprising.

“The ‘red vests’ is a national youth-led campaign that is open to the public and to all and is an extension of the struggle of the Tunisian people and a step towards restoring their dignity”, the statement read.

It added that the movement was committed to peaceful protests and would soon be announcing different activities across the country.

Gilet rouge – or ‘red vest’ anti-corruption protest movement in Tunisia echoes ‘yellow vest’ economic rallies in France (Gilets Rouge/Facebook) (Gilets Rouges Facebook Page)

Fearing similar unrest in Egypt, Cairo has taken steps thwart any attempts to copy France.

Egypt’s former military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ruled the country with an iron fist since overseeing the 2013 overthrow of unpopular, but elected, Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi. Tens of thousands of regime opponents have been locked up, protests banned and media controlled over the last few years.

Every 25 January, on the anniversary of the uprising, police and army are deployed across the country to dispel any rallies that might erupt against deteriorating civilian rights and economic situation in the country.