the deportation of the wafdists also triggered student demonstrations and escalated into massive strikes by students, government officials, professionals, women, and transport workers. within a week, all of egypt was paralysed by general strikes and rioting. railway and telegraph lines were cut, taxi drivers refused to work, lawyers failed to appear for court cases, and demonstrators marched through the streets shouting pro-wafdist slogans and demanding independence. violence resulted, with many egyptians and europeans being killed or injured when the british attempted to crush the demonstrations with force.