Revolution 2.0? Soldiers With ‘Electrified Batons’ Clear Protesters From Egypt’s Tahrir Sq.
- Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:11pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian forces swinging electrified batons and shouting the battle cry “God is great” swiftly chased off dozens of activists Monday who had refused to end four weeks of renewed protests at Tahrir Square to pressure the country’s transitional military rulers.
Hundreds of riot police backed by armored vehicles and soldiers moved in to tear down the camp of dozens of tents after a group of holdout activists – some of them relatives of people killed in the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February – refused pleas over loudspeakers to go home. Some in the crowd hurled stones at the police.
Firing shots in the air and using clubs, Egyptian forces cleared the square within minutes.
With Mubarak’s trial on charges he ordered the killing of protesters due to start Wednesday, the ruling military council appeared to run out of patience with the protesters, whose key demand is to see the former president and other members of his regime face justice.
Still, some were surprised by the security sweep, especially as it came on the first day of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting that is traditionally a time of forgiveness and tolerance.
“Attacking the families of martyrs and the people protecting them in the square seems weird. I didn’t think this could happen on the first day of Ramadan,” said activist Omar Kamel.
Many see the trial of the 83-year old president as a key test for the tense relationship between the protest movement and the ruling generals who took over when Mubarak was forced out on Feb. 11 after nearly 30 years in power. Many activists are skeptical that a military council headed by Mubarak’s longtime defense minister can deliver on promises of democratic reforms before returning the country to civilian rule.
They also accuse it of dragging its feet with prosecutions of regime figures and say it has so far failed to weed out Mubarak loyalists from the judiciary, police and civil service.
It remains to be seen if Mubarak, hospitalized for heart problems in the Red Sea resort where he has lived since his ouster, will be brought to Cairo for his trial’s opening session. Activists suspect Mubarak’s lawyer and others close to him are exaggerating the extent of his health problems to delay the proceedings.
Mubarak is a former air force general, and the military council may find itself in a bind trying to bring one of its own to trial before a civilian court.
Mubarak, his security chief and six top police officers could face the death penalty if convicted of ordering the use of lethal force against the protesters. About 850 protesters were killed in 18-day uprising.
Monday’s clashes in Tahrir, which was the center of the uprising, add to the tension.
“The square is the symbol of the revolution and its continuation, as many people use it to press for unmet goals,” said Ammar Ali Hassan, a political analyst. “This clashes with the military rulers’ views, who want the pressure to stop.”
Breaking up the encampment, which was set up on July 8, appeared inevitable. Most of the several hundred activists who had been camping there had already decided to end the sit-in at the start of Ramadan. A small group of activists, many of them relatives of slain protesters, refused to go before Mubarak sets foot in a courtroom.
Activist Lilian Wagdy, who was in Tahrir when the forces charged in, said the clashes began when some protesters tried to stop police from entering through makeshift checkpoints.
“They beat people with sticks and electrified batons. I don’t see why they had to use excessive force like this,” she said.
Activist Nora Shalaby said she saw soldiers detaining at least one person and dragging him away.
“The army is everywhere now,” she said.
State radio reported later that 270 people were arrested, describing them as thugs and criminals.
After the army’s clearing operation, traffic immediately returned to the busy interchange for the first time in weeks, moving around a median strewn with the protesters’ books, blankets, mattresses and clothes.
—
Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy contributed to this report.
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Comments (69)
BehindBlueEyes
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:15amI think the Arab spring has turned into the dog days of summer.
Report Post »Obama Bin Lying
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:20amNotice that when it was the Muslim Brotherhood behind the protests…it was ok. But now that the Muslim Brotherhood is trying to gain power….It has become un islamic to protest. I hope these people know what they are letting themselves in for with Sharia, and the Muslims Brotherhood.
I hope people will wake up and see what Islam truly is
Report Post »Son_of_Liberty
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:39am“What a stupendous, what an incomprehensible machine is man! Who can endure toil, famine, stripes, imprisonment & death itself in vindication of his own liberty, and the next moment … inflict on his fellow men a bondage, one hour of which is fraught with more misery than ages of that which he rose in rebellion to oppose.” Thomas Jefferson
3%
Report Post »Ray2447
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:49amSo what’s the difference between and “electrified baton” and a cattle prod?
Report Post »Red Bubba
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 9:05amA “cattle prod” is a cruel device redneck teaparty farmers use to cruelly shock cuddly calves in service to their agribusiness rethugglican masters, big beef, which is controlled by the Bush or maybe the Koch family. An “electric baton” is something progressives use to direct traffic for its own safety. Don’t you like “journalism”?
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:14pmmmmm…the smell the freshness of that Arab spring. I wonder if CNN will be sending any female journalists this time? I mean..you know..western women are so well respected in “Arabia”.
Report Post »Marsh626
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:06amRamadan the month of peace? I think not. That’s usually when fundamentalist muslims become their most militant. Hence the “Allah Akbar!” cries before the charge.
Islam is not a religion of peace. Stop trying to twist reality you islam apologizing liberal propagandists.
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 11:56amYou Islamists keep using that word “peace”. I do not think it means what you think it means. (With my apologies to Inigo.)
Report Post »Living In NYC
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 5:15amSounds like another Shovel Ready Bust…typical for the “Kids” who have been playing in the White House since the the 2008 election.
For some reason Prez Kids and his pals don’t ever seem to “get it”, you know the “real world”…They need to go back to teaching theory and leave the “real world” to the adults!
Report Post »chazman
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:32am… stupid A-RABS! Ya gave up one DICKTATOR for a military DICKTATORSHIP. One that will crush you in the blink of an eye. Shut up and do as yer told, you stupid Egyptians!!! What an idiot race of animals …
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:34amIsn’t “freedom” great?
Report Post »scott2012
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:49amBetter the Devil you know?
Report Post »pwatkins
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 2:38amAs msnbc has been saying for a couple of days, when does Ramadan begin? I guess their answer will be very detailed and the peaceful religion will once again let us know they are in the front pages. It is working right on key Obama, your chaos is here once again. Now, you and Hillary can asure us Muslim Brotherhood has it under control, those loviiiiiing little devils.
Report Post »hellnomo
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 2:32amThe spring seeds are going to be watered with summer blood.
Report Post »dirtydog1776
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 1:55amThank Obama and God for Arab Spring and Democracy.
Report Post »BeckaBrwnEyes
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 1:16amIsn’t anybody working in that country? Nobody has jobs they need to be at?
Report Post »Huguenot Descendant
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 1:34amProbably protesting is their jobs. All employed by Unions like SEIU or Acorn.
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 1:34amTahrir Square is round, but your right, are they all on the government dole and have nothing better to do?
Report Post »Quagaar Warrior
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 1:13am~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Report Post »Obama’s definition of democracy! We haven’t heard much about Libya lately, have we?
Glenn says to watch the other hand but I say, “Watch the other tenacles”!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:03pmRimmer!
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:42amNo, this isn’t happening, it’s Democracy. It’s freedom. It’s Arab Spring!
Report Post »tiger772
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:28amHas Bill Kristol been reached for comment?
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 1:06amWho’s up for a virginity check!? This is what democracy looks like!
Report Post »hows that freedom of religion? freedom of expression?
Yeah kinda SUCKS here too ! ! !
mossbrain
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:15amElectrified baton sounds cool, are they legal in the USA? Surely a little electricity to the rear quarters of the fat assed ladies blocking the aisles at WalMart is protected by our constitution.
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:57amProbably US surplus.
Report Post »xoke
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:07amAhhh, democrazy! Who’s up for a virginity check!? This is what democracy looks like!
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:51pm.
Report Post »Now if they had just gone old school with a camel charge, zipp‘in and a zapp’in falalallalalalal’in……
LinkedIn G
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:51pmWhat are they protesting ? Didn’t they just want Mubarack out ?
Report Post »GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:57pmReminds me of what the “Super Congress” is about to do:
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbNHGgLNqEg&feature=feedu
no debate no congress
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:41amRemember Van Jones declaration “Top down, bottom up and inside out.”
Mubarrak is gone, the military is cracking down upon the bottom; the bottom is protesting the top and now on Ramadan beginning; the inside out happens — the Muslum Brotherhood will most likely call for peace, reconsiliation and present themselves as a ‘moderating’ force in the nation.
Also note, most likely they have started the mess to begin with; and have the solution set to occur when the time comes.
Hmmm, sounds like what Obama is doing?
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 12:49amSnow
Report Post »I think you have it about right. I just love “ARAB SPRING”. JUST THE SPREADING OF DEMOCRACY..
V-MAN MACE
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:44pmY‘all ain’t seen nothin yet.
Wait until they whip out the Active Denial System on protestors in America.
Not gonna be pretty.
Don’t forget about Taser shotgun rounds and the Taser Grenades.
Welcome to 2011.
Now, are you ready to oppose the Nazi Police State?
Report Post »Steve
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:39pmArab Spring. You can smell the blood and hear the breaking of bones.
I’m sure the Muslim Broother Hood will soon take care of this in their own special way.
Report Post »They SMEAR what they FEAR
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:37pmChange you can believe in! How are the new pensions going now? (Referring to some egyptians that were holding a sign wanting better pensions during thefirst revolution…LOL)
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:47pmThat’s a fact! Now consider this wonderful video concerning the true motivations behind Beivik’s massacre.
http://youtu.be/vDr6SjPMRzs
Be sure to share it with your family friends and loved ones… The truth must be told.
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 10:24amAffirmative Blaction: Those are all very fair questions. I would simply point out that the majority of the world’s Jews are not in Israel. There‘s probably more in Obama and Bill Clinton’s administration than in Israel! lol
All I can do is give you one piece of evidence and a hypothesis. It’s your responsibility to listen analyze and begin to see if it makes sense by testing the hypothesis.
Finally one can debate whether or not they want to rule the world but you can not doubt that they are a very tight nit group of people who look out for one another while encouraging diversity and mass immigration for the rest of us.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:32pmGod is great…BZZZZTT!
Hey, Don’t TAZE ME MUSLIM BRO!
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:56amIt’s “Allah Akbar!” BZZZT!…..
Report Post »HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!
SREGN
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 11:58amMaybe Cynthia McKinney will wander within electric baton range. Bzzzt!
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:32pmbarak and hillarys arab spring has turned into a suckers summer…lol progressives even screw up muslim nations..what a mess will need to be cleaned up after 2012…remember when the progressives were all in concert when bush was pres. that world hated us…yeah they love us now…thanks to hillary and barack and that idiot biden
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:50pmYou said it “cookcountypatriot”
Report Post »They hated us then and hate us even more now. I guess Hope and Change was Hopeless and Changeless! So much for BHO, Soros and lady C!
NuffSaid
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:27pmWhere are the liberal dancing girls from CBS? Party’s on again! Al-la Aka Bar Hopper!
Good bye Egypt and e-gyp-shins! You get what you deserve….
Report Post »muhamadhater
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:49pmprotesters tried to stop police from entering through makeshift checkpoints.
“They beat people with sticks and electrified batons. I don’t see why they had to use excessive force like this,” she said.
(”Activist Nora Shalaby said she saw soldiers detaining at least one person and dragging him away.
“The army is everywhere now,” she said”.)
Report Post »Get use 2 it lady..Its gonna get alot worse when the muslim brotherhood stuff sharia law down your throats..The really crazy thing is Egypt civilians want it…lmao friggin Idiots, I cant wait 2 see how that plays out..think theres excessive force now??? wait and see..Good luck with sharia law droolers, let us know how it works out for ya idiots!!
God bless all NON muslim countries!! and please protect the children that are forced 2 go with it like it or not!!! SICK FCKS!!
georgeisn6
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:24pmThey have much better law inforcement there than we have here, we have become the first fourth world nation, so we had better keep a close eye on great third world nations like Egypt and Libya and Syira so we will know how to get rid of our dictatorship,if we ever have the guts to try.
libya
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 7:04amMilitary “presence” in population centers. I would bet that the goat herder, out in his yurt, is probably unaware!
Report Post »Greenwood
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:22pmThis is what Democracy looks like………………….
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:20pmMy O MY that peaceful “Muslim” religion in action again.
Report Post »Maybe Hillery can send Imam RAoooooooooooooof to broker a peaceful deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
shorthanded12
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:34pmSince OUR military budget going to be cut, Hillery will have to call up on that Non Taxpaying company of GE (General Electric) and use the greedy Corp. CEO Jet.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 11:19pmIt’s what BO and Hillary want….
Report Post »