CAIRO, Dec 5 (Aswat Masriya ) Egypt's public prosecution referred three activists to trial on Thursday on charges of violating protest law and assaulting police.

Activists Ahmed Douma, Mohamed Adel and Ahmed Maher, founder of the April 6 movement, are accused of protesting without notifying the authorities as required by the newly-enacted law.

Clashes erupted on Saturday outside Cairo's Abdeen Court during a protest between the security forces and protesters who gathered to show solidarity for Maher, who was handing himself to the authorities that ordered his arrest earlier last week for calling a protest without permission.

The authorities detained Maher and Douma and issued an arrest warrant against Adel.

They are charged with assaulting police, obstructing traffic and vandalising public and private property.