Why do boys throw stones at trains in Egypt?

Government stresses accountability for perpetrators after repeated incidents

Repeated incidents of boys throwing stones at trains in Egypt despite warnings (Ministry of Transport page on Facebook)

Cairo: Asharq Al-Awsat

Published: 18:27-17 July 2026 AD - 02 Safar 1448 AH

Cairo: Asharq Al-Awsat

Published: 18:27-17 July 2026 AD - 02 Safar 1448 AH

Why do boys throw stones at trains in Egypt?

Repeated incidents of boys throwing stones at trains in Egypt despite warnings (Ministry of Transport page on Facebook)

The Egyptian Ministry of Transport issues repeated condemnations regarding incidents of "boys throwing stones at trains." Despite the ministry's warnings about the dangers of this, the recurrence of the incidents raises questions about the reasons behind the boys' behavior.

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With the circulation of footage of the latest train stoning incidents in Aswan Governorate (southern Egypt), the government stressed the need to "hold those involved in train stoning incidents accountable, and not to show leniency or tolerance at all with any disruptive behavior that threatens the security and safety of public transport passengers." The Ministry of Transport stated on Friday that "these actions are not limited to material losses, but they endanger train passengers."

Experts offered multiple interpretations regarding the motives for boys throwing stones at trains. They told Asharq Al-Awsat that "lack of sufficient awareness and improper upbringing are among the main reasons for these incidents."

The Ministry of Transport last week denounced "a group of boys throwing stones at a railway train while it was running in Aswan Governorate," and stated in a statement that "material losses occurred as a result."

Transport Minister Kamel Al-Wazir is directing that legal measures be taken in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the Transport and Communications Police, "to identify the perpetrators of these incidents, pursue them judicially, and bring them to immediate trial."

He stresses that "there is absolutely no leniency or tolerance with any disruptive behavior that threatens the security and safety of users of public transport means."

The Transport Minister had made a phone call on Thursday to an Egyptian woman who documented the Aswan train stoning incident, and praised her role in "confronting the boys while they were stoning the train," considering it "a patriotic stance reflecting a degree of awareness and positive responsibility," according to the Ministry of Transport.

According to Hala Ramadan, director of the National Center for Social and Criminal Research: "The majority of train stoning incidents are carried out by boys in adolescence."

She says, "The nature of this age stage, along with a sense of adventure and challenge, may drive some of them to commit train stoning incidents." She explains that among the main reasons is "the lack of sufficient awareness among these boys about the importance of preserving public property."

Ramadan believes that "upbringing problems are among the main factors behind committing such incidents," and she says, "The intent to harm and damage are behaviors that express a state of protest among some segments."

The Egyptian government stresses holding those involved in train stoning incidents accountable (Ministry of Transport page on Facebook)

Immediate punishment for such incidents forms part of the deterrent and confrontational measures against train stoning incidents, according to Hala Ramadan. However, she pointed to the need to "take other measures to confront this, including roles for public upbringing institutions, and holding awareness meetings for youth in areas where train stoning incidents recur to warn against the dangers of this behavior."

The Ministry of Transport provides continuous awareness messages about the dangers of throwing stones at trains, and intensifies appeals and awareness videos on social media platforms, emphasizing in its messages that "preserving the railway facility is a shared societal responsibility."

Professor of Family Behavior and Human Development Expert Tarek Elias believes that "train stoning incidents primarily express a state of societal protest by some groups that feel marginalized." He pointed out that "public prosecution investigations with some boys accused in such incidents confirmed that the main motive is to express rejection of their difficult living reality."

Illiteracy is added to the reasons for attacking trains, according to Elias, who said: "Previous investigations with some accused in such incidents showed that they dropped out of education due to families' inability to bear expenses." He also noted that among the factors are "addiction and drug abuse."

He also noted that "the security solution will not prevent these incidents." He said, "The greater role in confronting this falls on civil society institutions, which must intensify awareness of the dangers of such incidents."

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