For the first time, a group of bearded policemen staged a protest in uniform by Cairo's interior ministry on Tuesday.

"From now on, no one will stop us from our prophet's guidance, and people will see us, God willing, scattered amongst them, in the streets of beloved Egypt, in our police uniform, bearded as we are", a post on the Facebook page "I am a bearded policeman" translated on Tuesday.

Egypt's law compels policemen to appear "presentable" which governments over the decades considered included a clean shaven look.