At Least 3 Die in Violent Clashes Between Egyptian Military Forces & Protesters
- Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:05am by
Billy Hallowell
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CAIRO (AP) — Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers in riot gear swept through Cairo’s Tahrir Square early Monday and opened fire on protesters demanding an immediate end to military rule. The Health Ministry said at least three people were killed, bringing the death toll for four days of clashes to 14.
Violence has been raging in Cairo since Friday, when military forces guarding the Cabinet building near Tahrir Square heavily cracked down on a 3-week-old sit-in to demand Egypt’s ruling generals immediately hand power to a civilian authority.
Egyptian protesters throw stones toward army soldiers during clashes near Tahrir Square in Cairo, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
The raid early Monday may have been an attempt by the military to keep protesters away from key government buildings near the square, including parliament and the Interior Ministry, which is in charge of the hated police force.
Ahmed Saad, a field hospital doctor who witnessed the crackdown, said six people were killed by gunshots, giving a toll twice that of the Health Ministry’s. He said troops stormed a mosque on the square, beating up protesters who spent the night inside.
“It was like a rain of bullets in the early morning,” Saad said.
The ruling generals, who took power 10 months ago after the popular uprising that forced longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak to step down, have described the clashes as part of a “conspiracy” against Egypt.
The pro-democracy protesters have decried the military’s heavy-handed crackdown. Activists have flooded social network sites and other media with photos and video of troops beating and attacking protesters.
Some widely circulated footage shows an army officer firing a pistol at protesters – though it is not clear whether he was using live ammunition. Other images show soldiers dragging women by the hair and ferociously beating, kicking and stomping on protesters cowering on the ground.
In the middle of violence, a research center set up during France’s three-year occupation of Egypt in the late 18th century caught fire and was gutted. On Monday, archive officials and dozens of volunteering protesters tried to salvage valuable books and documents from the center. The two-story building is in danger of collapsing after the roof caved in.
Inside the smoldering building, there were piles of burnt furniture, twisted metal and demolished walls. A double human chain by protesters surrounded the building to prevent any new attempts of sabotage.
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Comments (39)
whiteraven86
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 4:49pmExcluding diagnosed sociopaths, humans possess empathy, altruism, charity, morality, virtue and a sense of community. When individuals in a society are allowed to flourish these portions of human nature also flourish. A third world nation beset with drought, insurrection and a despotic leader cannot be expected to help its neighbors because they cannot flourish themselves. The same can be applied on an individual personal scale.
A problem arises when government driven by ideology or in hopes of increasing political support becomes the judge of who will benefit from the rewards of a flourishing individual or society. The problem gets worse when that government decides to what extent people will be allowed to flourish.
What we are seeing in Egypt is the culmination of this government restriction on the ability to flourish. Think about the U.S.! Is our government sliding down this slippery slope now?
Report Post »paintbrushbright
Posted on December 20, 2011 at 1:18amSlippery is not the word! We have already fallen on our backside with the help of
Report Post »Hillary Clinton congratulating Egypt several weeks back when she was touting the Arab Spring? Well it looks like the Arab winter is here and it looks like its going to be hot. Hillary is a nonbeliever woman giving advice to Muslims with their noted disrespect of the female gender. Hillary’s points given with the added results of murdered Christens and American flags burning the streets is confusing of what the hell her job is anyway.
Seede
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 4:30pmI thought the Arab Spring thing was all about that dirty ole Mubarak enslaving and killing people. Anyway that is what the DC gang told us. What now Nimrod? What a bunch of DC hypocrites. Billions of dollars to back the same ole same ole so what does the nimrod do? Goes on another vacation. Good show blunderhead.
Report Post »Verum Ad Potentia
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 4:24pmIs this the Arab ‘Fall’?
Report Post »singleparent
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 3:39pmWho care’s…
Report Post »pebbles
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:37pmYOU SHOULD CARE! What is going on in the Middle East is now spreading all over the world, and it won’t be long before it happens right in this country. God gave us the ability to see, hear, and speak. He also gave us the ability to think and reason. When we see these things, and read the “Death to America” signs that are presented in the riots, and hear them yelling obsenities directed towards Americans, why can’t we use our brains to reason what is really happening. Obviously, you are too self-absorbed to do any of those things, living day to day thinking that if the rock didn’t hit you in the head today, it never will. Grow Up!!!!
Report Post »Complacency like yours is one of the primary reasons this country and also the world is in the condition it is now. I‘ll bet you’re one of those people that vote party instead of candidate, it is too much trouble to actually discover what the candidates personally represent, or you don’t vote at all, but complain like hell if things go against you.
ejbonk
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 1:33pmNo Surprizes here. Glenn Beck said it would happen. NEXT!!!!!!
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 1:36pmAh, the Arab Spring has flowered into the only thing it could have: A stinking mess. This “IS” real democracy, eh?
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 3:32pmSo, this is what democracy according to Obama is supposed to look like?…..I think I will pass on all the “hope”, and especially his “change” thing.
Report Post »Cold War Vet
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 12:08pmObama’s Arab Spring and his Muslim Brotherhood. The gift that keeps on giving!
Report Post »Thank you for destabilizing the Middle East with your wonderfully incompetent foreign policy, O’ great one!
AhLeahIris
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 12:14pmAnybody heard from Bill Kristol lately? Remember when he and that other tool Rich Lowry mocked Glenn for his warnings about arab Spring? http://wp.me/p1HGwx-1KH
Report Post »Epic Fail
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 11:54amThis is what we need for the occupy leeches. Maybe they would actually get a life and a bath…
Report Post »Newsy
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 11:48amA look into our future if Obama is elected and continues to give the military more power.
Report Post »Another great reason to oust him.
AirtechJr
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 11:24amCan you think of a better reason for the 2nd Amendment? There is no larger ARMY than the American Citizen.
Report Post »altops
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:01amblow back a la cia
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:24amMuslim brotherhood started the whole thing-the Army stayed out of it. I thnk they have figured out the Muslim brotherhood‘s real plan’s are and they don’t want it. Real democracy is good-hope they get a shot at it.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:13amcoming soon to a city near you.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:13amAhhh the Arab spring,smells like death the community agitator strikes again,smartest guy in the room lol.Have no fear Barry your boys in the MB will get those people in line double quick.
Report Post »BodyArmor
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:04amthe new egypt. oh, the wonderful peace and harmony! how typical.
Report Post »MARKMYWORD
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 8:51amcan you amagine how the world would react if israel has done the same thing?
Report Post »bhosux
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 8:13amIt’s not that bad. They at least have the freedom to smoke in a public place.
Report Post »Bucke7
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 12:02pmYour inability to smoke in public is my clean air scented with coffee, flowers, pine trees, a female’s perfume, or the fresh scent after a rain in the desert . You are an addict with an addicts personality.
Report Post »Don’t tell me you do it because you like it…you would would quit if it was easy, but it’s not. The rewards for quitting are huge however. Here’s to you, hoping you find the strength to quit. If not, then prepare for a painful early death full of regrets with loved ones standing around your bed saying how sorry they are, but behind your back saying “he made his choices. Maybe now is a good time to sue a tabacco company or take a smoking cessation program. Then you won’t waste my time or yours on a blogsite talking Muslims rioting in Egypt to whine here about your inability to smoke wherever you want. You might consider moving to Cairo to pursue your smoking agenda as it is probably more important to you than any children health and happiness issues in your family. I bet no one will miss you if you do. Merry Christmas.
Wonder why…not
lukerw
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 8:01amThe protesters are the Muslim Brotherhood who have been surpressed in Egypt for Decades. The Army has Ruled via a Front Man for Centuries. So, the people will not win anything!
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:55am.
Report Post »All of a sudden Abdual realized as he was getting his head split open by security, “Ole Hosni Mubarak” was a Great guy……..
Bucke7
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 12:15pmAgreed…while the security split your head with a baton…Shiites smack there own with a sword and bleed all over the place…the difference being what? The Sunnis and Shiites would love to cut your head off if you are an apostate Muslim, Jewish, Christian or run of the mill athiest infidel. ‘Tis the season. Merry Christmas. Unaware of any Muslim holliday for this time of year, but I’m sure if the Jihadist get their way, the “Holiday Season” will become a the most wonderful time of the year for cutting of heads or burning churches and synagogues(sp?). The q’uran, the sunna,the hadith’s and the traditions are full of such wonderful stuff. The muslim Crusade into the Holy Land predates the Christian Crusades to take it back, so don’t give any of that blame it on the Christians revision stuff.
Report Post »Johann
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:55amThe American chattering class is still raving about the socalled arab spring. Hilary Clinton swoons whenever she speaks of the arab spring. Time magazine has made a fictional figure from the arab spring person of the year. The idiot Left in America still believes in Tinkerbell. God help a nation that is led by such stupid evil people like Hilary Clinton and Hussein Obama.
Report Post »Hiswill
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:43amBeck said this would happen. Is Obama still loving that Arab Spring?
Report Post »Rightallalong
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 9:05amWhy should Obama care, he is on vacation with the Wookie spending our money and besides he will blame George BUsh and the republicans anyway… Sad part is about 40% of the people will believe him. When a new majority of the people only care when their GIverment check arives int he mail we have already fallen as a country
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:40amNow will come part three of the game plan where the radicals of the Muslim Brotherhood will step in to “stop the violence” and create the Sharia nightmare for all. Just like Obama wants to do here.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:33amMaybe if we sit long enough they will exterminate themselves.
Report Post »bringiton
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 10:09amI’m thinking they need a little help.
Report Post »flyoverbob
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:24amIs the brotherhood is behind this?With the military silenced they would have free reign
Report Post »ares338
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:18amHmmmmm…seems as though the police there don’t treat their (OWS) protestors with kid gloves like we do here!
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on December 19, 2011 at 7:10amAh, B.O.’s Arab Spring…..! It doesn’t smell like Irish
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