Egyptian Police and Protesters Clash Injuring Hundreds Just Days Before First Elections Post-Murbarak
- Posted on November 19, 2011 at 6:47pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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(The Blaze/ AP)Egyptian riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets stormed into Cairo’s Tahrir Square Saturday to dismantle a protest tent camp, setting off clashes that killed one protester, injured hundreds and raised tensions days before the first elections since Hosni Mubarak’s ouster. MSNBC video of protesters in Tahrir Square:
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The scenes of protesters fighting with black-clad police forces were reminiscent of the 18-day uprising that forced an end to Mubarak’s rule in February. Hundreds of protesters fought back, hurling stones and setting an armored police vehicle ablaze.
The violence raised fears of new unrest surrounding the parliamentary elections that are due to begin on Nov. 28. Public anger has risen over the slow pace of reforms and apparent attempts by Egypt’s ruling generals to retain power over a future civilian government.
Witnesses said the clashes began when riot police dismantled a small tent camp set up to commemorate the hundreds of protesters killed in the uprising and attacked around 200 peaceful demonstrators who had camped in the square overnight in an attempt to restart a long-term sit-in there.
“Violence breeds violence,” said Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, an engineer who joined in the protest after a call went out on Twitter urging people to come to Tahrir to defend against the police attacks. “We are tired of this and we are not leaving the square.”
Police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and beat protesters with batons, clearing the square at one point and pushing the fighting into surrounding side streets of downtown Cairo.
A 23-year-old protester died from a gunshot, said Health Ministry official Mohammed el-Sherbeni. At least 676 people were injured, he said.
Crowds swarmed an armored police truck, rocking it back and forth and setting it ablaze.
After nightfall, protesters swarmed back into the square in the thousands, setting tires ablaze in the street and filling the area with an acrid, black smoke screen. Police appeared to retreat to surrounding areas, leaving protesters free to retake and barricade themselves inside the square. The air was still thick with stinging tear gas.
Shortly before midnight, police pushed back toward the square, firing more tear gas and drawing a barrage of stones from the protesters holding the site.
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf urged the protesters to clear the square.
“What is happening in Tahrir is very dangerous and threatens the course of the nation and the revolution,” the Cabinet warned in a statement.
Saturday’s confrontation was one of the few since the uprising to involve police forces, which have largely stayed in the background while the military takes charge of security. There was no military presence in and around the square on Saturday.
The black-clad police were a hated symbol of Mubarak’s regime.
“The people want to topple the regime,” shouted enraged crowds, reviving the chant from the early days of the uprising. Crowds also screamed: “Riot police are thugs and thieves” and “Down with the Marshal,” referring to Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Egypt’s military ruler.
Some of the wounded had blood streaming down their faces and many had to be carried out of the square by fellow protesters to waiting ambulances.
Human rights activists accused police of using excessive force.
One prominent activist, Malek Mostafa, lost his right eye from a rubber bullet, said Ghada Shahbender, a member of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights.
At least four protesters were injured in the eyes as a result of what Shahbender said were orders to target protesters’ heads.
“It is a crime,” she said. “They were shooting rubber bullets directly at the heads. … I heard an officer ordering his soldiers to aim for the head.”
A videojournalist for the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry al-Youm, Ahmed Abdel-Fatah, was also hit in the eye by a rubber bullet and was undergoing surgery.
Police arrested 18 people, state TV reported, describing the protesters as rioters.
Protests were also held Saturday in the Red Sea port city of Suez, where a crowd of thousands attacked a police station, with some hurling firebombs at the building, said protester Ahmed Khafagi.
In Alexandria, hundreds of people threw stones at the main security headquarters, said protester Ahmed Abdel-Qader. He said it felt like the revolution was starting all over again.
“We only managed to bring down the head of the regime. The rest of the tree is still standing,” he said.
A day earlier, tens of thousands of Islamists and young activists had massed in Tahrir Square to protest Egypt’s ruling military council, which took control of the country after Mubarak’s ouster and has been harshly criticized for its oversight of the bumpy transition period.
Friday’s crowd, the largest in months, was mobilized by the Muslim Brotherhood and focused its anger on a document drafted by the military that spells out guiding principles for a new constitution.
Under those guidelines, the military and its budget would be shielded from civilian oversight. An early version of it also said the military would appoint 80 members of the 100-person constitutional committee – a move that would vastly diminish the new parliament’s role.
Groups across the political spectrum rejected the document, calling it an attempt by the military to perpetuate its rule past the post-Mubarak transition. Back in February, the military had promised it would return to the country to civilian rule within six months. Now, there is deep uncertainty over the timeline, and presidential elections might not be held until 2013.
Friday’s demonstration dispersed peacefully, but several hundred people remained in the square overnight in an attempt to re-establish a semi-permanent presence in the square to pressure the military council.
Violence began Saturday morning, as police moved in to clear them. Al Jazeera English reports on the escalating violence:
The Interior Ministry, which runs the country’s police forces, accused people of trying to escalate tensions ahead of the parliamentary elections, which will be held in stages that continue through March.
Activists say they just want to guard the outcome of their revolution.
Unemployed graduate student Nasser Ezzat said he traveled from southern Egypt to Tahrir because he wanted to help finish the revolution that people died for. He came to the square on Friday, leaving behind his a pregnant wife in the city of Sohag.
“I dream of a fairer Egypt for my unborn daughter, one without police harassment and corruption,” he said on Saturday.
Crowds also directed their anger at the police, which were the muscle behind Mubarak’s heavy handed rule.
“This violence is the same as the old regime,” activist Mona Seif said. “Police are telling us they are carrying out orders to beat us until we leave.”
Seif is the sister of prominent blogger and activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah, who is in jail after refusing to answer questions over his alleged role in sectarian clashes. He leads a campaign to end the trials of civilians in military courts.
Rights groups estimate that up to 12,000 people have been tried in military courts since Mubarak was ousted.
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dgktowntx
Posted on November 21, 2011 at 8:06amIsrael was not created in order to disappear – Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom.
Report Post »johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 7:22amSince The Messiah nurtured the chaos in Egypt, perhaps he can gather the camels and journey through the desert to Cairo. I know that an experienced community organizer will have no trouble calming the rowdies and causing the seas to cease rising. My hope is that he brings all his pals: CAIR, ISNA, NAIT, ACORN, AFL-CIO, UMW, NEA, ETC, ETC. May they all perish in a sand storm sent by God to consume evil spirits!
By golly, I forgot, CHAOS IS BARRY’S ULTIMATE GOAL. He and Ahmadinejad just sitting on a park bench watching the whole globe burning; yep, that’s what a community organizer does!
Report Post »timbo40
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 7:20pmIt is amazing that we were watching Egypt just tear itself apart and President Obama has helped it along.. Unbelievable!!
Report Post »BannedByHuffpo
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 12:04amMuslim 7th century stone-age psychopaths out to behead infdels. So what’s new?
Report Post »Bro Geo Too
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 9:56pmYou’ve heard of the Midas touch; welcome to the Obama touch. In the case of Midas, everything he touched turned to gold. In the case of Obama, everything he touches turns to sh-fecal matter.
Obama gave his blessing to Egypt’s Arab Spring–now there is chaos. Obama gave his blessing to the Libyan “action”– the Muslim Brotherhood proliferates. Obama gave his blessing to Occupy Wall Street– Obamavilles produce rapes, murders, drug overdoses, small businesses going under, total disrespect for law and order, etc.
N O M O B O B S
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 10:33pmHere to establish the World Wide Caliphate.
Report Post »World Trade Center bombing…collapse of world economy
2008 election of first US Muslim President
Opening of 300-350 government jobs to Arab Muslims
700 billion in TARP to Sharia Compliant Banks…how did US banks become Sharia Complliant?
Use of US MIlitary to take out US allies via Arab Spring for Sharia Uprising
Protestors subsidized most probably by US
Furnishing of Weapons to Hezbollah Drug Cartel in Mexico
Lawsuits filed against states fighting to keep illegals and Drug Cartels out
Soros funded uprisings in Georgia
Georgia removed dictator..now unhappy with loss of rights..no longer allowed to protest
SIEU ..subsidiary of Acorn funding OWS protests..
IT IS HAPPENING PEOPLE
WE NEED A CONSTITUTIONALIST FOR PRESIDENT
YOU WANT WAR? YOU THINK IT”S HELPING?
YOU DON”T THINK WE NEED HELP HERE NOW?
Hezbollah using threats to influence elections in Mexico
JQCitizen
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 9:50pmWhat did they expect? When you have a French-style revolution, you have French-style results.
Guess they are French-Fried.
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:49pmThe Egyptian Military choose their bedfellows. Libya is going to be in chaos shortly. Not the mess we have seen, but chaos. The big one will be Syria. THAT ONE will be very brutal and very well funded. Then Iran will waltz into Iraq and dare DARE anyone to say otherwise.
Yeesh, I seriously do not have enough water stored….mutter mutter.
Report Post »Tired_of_The_Liberal_Spin
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:38pmAnd these college beards cry about police brutality in NYC – they don’t know what REAL police brutality is.
Report Post »Winkycat
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:24pmEgypt’s military is trying to prevent a radical theocracy taking root in the new government. Those people who want to vote are not voting in a Democracy but a radical theocracy where people of other faiths have no rights. Since the collapse of the Mubarak government, the Coptic Christians have been systematically targeted and if those hooligans get their way, the entire Christian population in Egypt will be wiped out.
Report Post »It is in the best interest of Egypt that the military runs the country and avoid a radical Islamic state emerge where it will destroy itself by taking on Israel, who will have no problem in retaliating against Egypt, by destroying the Suez Canal or even a full fledged invasion by Israel. This is what the Egyptian military is trying to avoid and I hope they win.
Slayer
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:17pmOne of the videos was from MSNBC. Just so you know, Blaze, I will never willingly click on any link that takes me to MSNBC in any way. I’m not going to hand them the stick to beat me over the head with.
Report Post »Unix
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:29pmduh, I guess they didnt’t get what they wanted after all…more like an epic arab fall…just wait until this junk comes here for real…
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:42pmColors of Benetton
“When was the Last-Time you wore Red!”
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:20pmI guess they don’t realize, the only reason Mubarak is gone is that the military didn’t crush them. Now what do they think the military will do when they go against the military? Nice of them to round themselves up in the middle of the city making it easier to dispose of them. Thats evolution for ya.
Report Post »ares338
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:32pmI thought everything was hunky dory now that Mubarak is gone. I guess it’s occupy Egypt now!
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:39pmI think you don’t know the days in which you live.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:43pmOther people do and that’s why they are becoming more adamant about people not using the word Jesus or they are trying to pervert the meaning of Jesus. It’s unto a spoiled dad hating child whom bashes the dad more and more because they know he is coming soon, and they have to finish badmouthing the dad to try to convince the other children.
Report Post »garyM
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:23pmOh the Arab Spring has cometh the Wall Street too!
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:32pmJust remember to build your Ark from Gopher wood, and pitch it within and without with pitch, and you should be alright.
Report Post »Eliasim
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:13pmAnd throughout the night the waters went back and back.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:12pmIt’s a revolution, of a revolution. Interesting.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:06pmThis image above is exactly what‘s inside Obama’s Head. Everything that happens in the Middle East uprising, always show’s up here on a lesser scale. Come Election day, go first thing in the morning and avoid crowds.
Report Post »Slayer
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:19pmI will be surprised if we get to an election day here without a major event from the Left. And God knows none of our Right wing leadership will do anything to help us.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 8:28pmIt’s time to choose, align yourself with like minded forces.
Report Post »johnpaulkuchtajr
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 7:29amOh, I’ll be voting absentee in that one!
By then, Obama’s “National Civilian Security Force” (google July 2008 Obama speech) will be providing “security” at the polls. You remember the two guys in black leather coats and four foot long truncheons at the polls in Philly. Guys like that will be in ur neighborhood to make sure that you get ur chance to cast ur vote!
Um, um, um, Barack Hussein Obama!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:01pmI don’t remember all this blood and violence when Mubarek was in charge. Why do “commemorative camps” have to be built? Just another draw for Anarchists to Occupy Camel Street.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 7:01pmOur future?you never know Barry might get the violence he needs.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 6:53pmThey’re just warming up before elections .
Report Post »