on 4 april 1921, zaghlul's return to egypt was met by an unprecedented welcome, showing that the vast majority of egyptians supported him. allenby, however, was determined to break zaghlul's political power and to build up a pro-british group to whom britain could safely commit egyptian independence. on 23 december, zaghlul was deported to the seychelles via aden. his deportation was followed by demonstrations, violent clashes with the police, and strikes by students and government employees that affected cairo, alexandria, port said, suez, and provincial towns like tanta, zifta, az zaqaziq, and jirja.