Earlier this week, Egypt's Mansoura University took action against a couple who hugged on campus, Youm 7 newspaper reported.
This came after footage capturing the hug went viral online, sparking a controversy that has yet to quiet down. In the clip, the woman can be seen walking into a surprise birthday celebration which was quickly followed by a proposal.
The man can be seen going down on one knee before lifting her up.
In an official statement on the matter, university officials said the duo were identified and questioned over the incident.
Initial interrogations revealed the man is enrolled at Mansoura University, while the young woman is a student at Al Azhar University who paid him a visit on campus.
Officials at Mansoura University have since referred their student to a disciplinary committee since he violated its rules. They also contacted the head of Al Azhar University, Dr. Ahmad Al Tayeb, to inform him that a female student registered in one of its colleges was involved in the event.
Some people attacked the couple for their public display of affection and accused them of going against social norms and customs. Others completely disagreed and felt the entire situation was blown out of proportion.
Here's a little of what people had to say on the matter:
Many were left outraged by the incident
"Is this thing that happened at Mansoura University normal?!! Just a question, does this girl not have a male guardian to bring her up?"
And harshly criticized the female student in specific
"If officials take this lightly it's going to recur a million times and this university is going to turn into a lovers' nest. Where are this girl's parents?"
Some thought the incident was blown out of proportion
"Entire universities are shook and officials are communicating with each other because a student proposed to his colleague in a cafeteria and gave her a hug. Being this scared of incidents like this fits well with everything that academia shouldn't stand for."
"The saddest thing about this video is that these people are going to be expelled from their colleges"
Not the first time a similar incident causes a stir in Egypt
In 2017, Egypt's Tanta University took action against a young couple after a video of their on-campus engagement went viral on social media.
The video sparked controversy because the students were seen embracing in the footage.
In a statement he made on live television at the time, the university's spokesperson Dr. Ibrahim Abdel Wahab Salem said:
"After we heard of the incident on social media, we gained access to campus CCTV footage and identified most students who were involved in the surprise proposal. 7 students are now under investigation and the couple has also been called in. The university will take action against all those involved because they weren't granted an official authorization to host such an event. They also went against the university's rules and regulations."