Violence Erupts in Egypt Following Preliminary Election Results
- Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:43pm by
Erica Ritz
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(Photo: AP)
(The Blaze/AP) — A mob set fire late Monday to the campaign headquarters of one of the two Egyptian presidential politicians facing each other in a runoff that will decide a new leader after last year’s popular uprising, the first sign of unrest after the voting yielded divisive candidates.
The attack on Ahmed Shafiq‘s office came just hours after the country’s election commission announced that he would face the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate, Mohammed Morsi, in a June 16-17 runoff.
The second round pitting Shafiq, who was ousted President Hosni Mubarak’s last prime minister, against Morsi, backed by the country’s most powerful Islamist movement, is a nightmare scenario for the thousands of Egyptians who took to the streets last year to demand regime change, freedom and social equality.
Many of the so-called revolutionaries say they want neither a return to the old regime nor religious rule.
“The choice can’t be between a religious state and an autocratic state. Then we have done nothing,” said Ahmed Bassiouni, 35, who was sitting in Cairo’s downtown Tahrir Square in the midst of a growing protest.
In an upscale neighborhood of Cairo, mobs of young men used bricks to smash the windows of Shafiq’s headquarters, tossing out campaign signs and tearing up his posters. Then they set fire to the building. There were no reports of injuries. Police arrested eight people.
His campaign blamed supporters of leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, who came in third in the race, and backers of another losing candidate, Khaled Ali, who was protesting the election results Monday evening in Tahrir Square, the center of last year’s uprising.
Ahmed Shafiq, left, and Mohammed Morsi (Photos: AP)
Shafiq, also a former air force commander, was forced out of office as prime minister by protesters shortly after Mubarak’s fall. He has since presented himself as a figure who can restore calm to a country wracked by 15 months of sometimes violent protests and deterioration in internal security. He has expressed a zero-tolerance attitude toward protests, reflecting his background in the military and in the former regime, which put down protests with brutal force and jailed opponents.
Shortly after the protesters ransacked the campaign office, fire trucks and police arrived as several hundred of Shafiq’s supporters gathered outside the building, carrying his picture and chanting slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood, which controls the parliament and is now seeking the presidency.
“The Brotherhood are enemies of God!,” chanted the crowd.
The Morsi-Shafiq runoff is a polarizing contest. It mirrors the conflict between Mubarak, himself a career air force officer like Shafiq, and the Islamists he jailed and tortured throughout his years in power. But it sidelines the mostly young, secular activists who led the popular uprising last year.
The commission reported Monday that Morsi won close to 5.8 million votes, or almost 25 percent, while Shafiq received 5.5 million votes, or nearly 24 percent. Sabahi, a socialist, finished third with 4.8 million votes, or about 21 percent. Fourth place went to moderate Islamist Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh. Turnout was about 50 percent.
In Tahrir Square, several thousands protesters chanted slogans against the military rulers who took over after Mubarak’s ouster. Protesters have clashed frequently with the military in street protests that have killed more than 100 people, charging that the military is perpetuating the repressive practices of the Mubarak regime and bungling the transition to a new, elected government.
Protesters also chanted slogans against both Morsi and Shafiq, saying they will not allow Egypt to be ruled by one party again nor allow the former regime to regain power.
(Photo: AP)
“Freedom! Freedom!” the crowds chanted, fists pumping in the air.
Some were demanding that a law approved by parliament banning former high-level regime officials from running in the election be implemented. That could apply to Shafiq. Egypt’s Constitutional Court is set to look at the law just four days before the runoff.
Others charge that last week’s election, with 13 candidates, was rigged, though observers said the vote was generally free.
In the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, where Sabahi, a favorite among many revolutionaries, won the most votes, protesters tore down and burned large Shafiq and Morsi posters and protested against military rule.
In the Nile Delta provinces of Dakahliya and Mansoura, protesters took to the streets in similar protests. Security officials said protesters in Mansoura tried to attack the campaign offices of Morsi and Shafiq, but supporters of both candidates stopped the crowd.
The protests come just one day after Sabahi and Abolfotoh, whose supporters backed the popular uprising, filed appeals to the election commission to delay announcing the first round results until allegations of voter fraud could be investigated. Their appeals were rejected Monday.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Abolfotoh said “violations threatened the integrity of the election.”
“It is impossible under any circumstances for me to say with a national conscience that these elections were clean,” Abolfotoh said.
Additional reporting by Sarah El Deeb.
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Comments (46)
undercover
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:55pmDidn’t see that one coming.
Report Post »G-WHIZ
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:55amLooks like USA-Commie-UNIONS have done a great job teaching them how to protest and dissrupt…as they have done in all asian countries. The Muslimbrotherhood has a great friend in BHO and all his commie and marxist buds in the WH and congress and all those “special” un-elected tsarrs.
Report Post »epicwinofgod
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 8:42am“They look to the left. They look to the right. And forever their heads shall spin”.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:17pmKill your opposition before they get Power… because, after, those with Power will kill their Opponents!
Report Post »jackact
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:58amLooks like more ‘Arab Spring’ Obama.
Report Post »The Muslim Brotherhood is not a violent faction, right?
schlepnier
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:21amSomething akin to what herman cain said-
“hows that arab spring working out for ya?”
The only good news i guess is that Israel get a bit of a breather if the egyptians go back to killing each other again.
Report Post »mama6
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 8:07amLet them kill each other off!!!!
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 4:42amShaddup!
Report Post »fixer
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 2:12ammaybe the people of Egypt have got more brains than i thought.
Report Post »Netsurfer2
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:39pmReminds me of the Black Panthers at the voting polls!
You can bet that things will not get any better once the Muslim Brotherhood get into power and declare Sharia Law! Almost ready for another civil war in Egypt. Now the people there can learn what it is like to fight for their rights!
Report Post »noczars
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:24amThe problem is they will learn how to fight for their rights like China did when they were run over by tanks; and Iran when they had the “green movement” and women/ment were slaughtered in the streets. No one will be there to protect them they will be slaughtered and Iran continues to produce weapons. This is what happens when our government encourages facebook fans to start a “spring” protest in ALL of the east. Now our men and women are being set up (cuts in spending and France withdrawing NOW) and we (admin) is considering another war.
Report Post »Jerry Frey
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:32pm“What does it tell us that a country that had a democratic revolution is jailing democracy workers and a country that has a peace treaty with Israel wants to sack its mufti for even praying in a Jerusalem mosque?
It tells us that the Arab awakening in Egypt did not blow the lid off. It blew the lid up. But the lid — the old regime and intelligence services — is still around. By blowing the lid up, though, it created space for the young people who actually sparked the revolution there to take to the streets and for the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists, and even a few liberals, to get elected to Parliament. But now you have a six-way struggle for power in Egypt: the army, the Islamists, the youths, the liberals, the old regime’s loyalists and the business community.”
http://napoleonlive.info/did-you-know/muslim-democracy-2/
Report Post »Collbuzz
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:26pmsurprise, surprise, surprise!
Report Post »servant100
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 1:20amExactly… Been watching the Middle East for over 30 years now. Simply put, read the history of the region starting with the Shaia, Sunni split. There is NO arab nation, cause arab culture has no concept of what we call a nation. What you see on that map is some very arbitrary lines that divide “nations” that were made by the Allied powers at the WWI Versailles peace conference. The key was to destroy Turkey/Ottoman Empire from being an effective force again. The arab cultures recognize the clan and shiek or super clan leaders…that’s about it. Family is everything. Therefore, what you have in all states excepting Egypt and Iran/Persia is a “thugocracy” where the biggest thug becomes the king and forces all the others to submit. The only unifying force in this region is the religion of Islam…which pretty much forces a totalitarian dictatorship/kings. What is worse is these arabs/egyptians have some of the highest birth rates in the world and have a huge majority of young males who have no education and no chance of ever getting a job.
the only thing these fools have is Islam…so do not be suprised when our leftist fools in the US have set up the perfect “democratic” scenario that will guarantee a Egyptian Shiria police state that makes Mubarrick look like the Mickey Mouse club.. Don’t you love liberal enlightenment….French Revolution writ large….
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:46pm“Then we have done nothing”, said Ahmed Bassiouni, 35.
Seems they have done more than they expected.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:45pmEgypt is the tip of the iceberg. there is still Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Iran……….hell, the whole middle east is on fire and will not get any better.
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:15pmEgypt is the key to the Arab world being that it is the most populous nation on that region. If the MB manage to rest control of Egypt so goes the rest of N Africa shortly thereafter. Egypt is a critical nation as far as hopes for a renewed rule of a Islamic Caliphate are concerned. The young people who are struggling for freedom are now finding out that those with money and influence will likely decide the outcome in a nation where corruption has been the ONLY constant for the last millenia or two. It’s a fait acompli that the MB will succeed here (by hook and crook if necessary).
Report Post »momrules
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:35pmAh Puddle.The Muslim Brotherhood will win. They have they money, the backing and the sheer determination that they will win. They even have the backing of the President of the United States of America. Yes they will win in Egypt and yes, the rest of the ME will fall like dominoes.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:44pmAh democracy is a wonderful thing indeed.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:39pmI didnt see this coming. Beck said this election was a good thing. Oh wait, That was Soledad Obrien
Report Post »starman70
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:23amBeck knew better! He saw the rise of this very thing. When the Moslem Brotherhood gains full control in Egypt, there will never be anything resembling democracy. All those who protested for democracy will be arrested and re educated to support the true Islamic Shariah law and if they don’t cowtow to the brotherhood, well happy execution.
Report Post »Baja
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:38pmI‘m afraid of the violence that’s going to erupt if, I mean when Obama loses in November.
Report Post »It’s going to make Watts look like Chuck E. Cheese’s.
At least the incoming AG will enforce the law and prosecute the racist bastards.
KangarooJack
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:31pmand now our focus is on Egypt…WATCH THE OTHER HAND! It’s not gonna come from a Middle Eastern Nation. Oh, it’ll happen there, but that’s NOT where it starts from. China and Russia aren’t as feeble as you suppose.
Report Post »Puddle Duck
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:22pmRussia has a large number of forces depliyed along the nothern border of Iran as we type. Russia is re emerging in the region as a near cold war level advisary to the West. The reset button fantasy orchastrated by the SOS H Clinton was a laughable farce, that reset allowed the Russians to gain the upper hand without ever having to come by it honestly (through negotiated compromise). The Obama WH foreign policy (through SOS Clinton) has been abot as effective as the stimulus plan. The Obama WH admin is an unmitigated disaster in both domestic and foreign policy fronts.
Report Post »servant100
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 2:14amLook to your bible…Ezekiel 38:2-6, a prophesy that is over 3,000 years old. Do your homework…the the alignments of the geographic people groups described in this passage have NEVER once occurred in recorded history…until about 10 months ago. Now it is complete…and read the rest of 38 and 39. The war that is coming with the next 12 months may be a little larger than you first envisioned…and it will center on who will control Jerusalem.
Get ready for a very very wild ride….
Hopefully, I may be viewing it from an elevated perspective…..
Report Post »epicwinofgod
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 8:55amThe names and nations depict the character of the enemies if you’re referring to the King James Version of the Bible. Ethnicity varies with dialect and variant racial mixing. Impossible to track. What’s not is how people are and what people do, hence the “Beginning and the End”. As in the end times, it’s always the same story with a different title. End of story. It’s honestly that simple. Racial tension, financial oppression, religious fire and political debate always equate to blood shed when people don’t think for themselves and conform to the hive-minded collective of their false agendas.
Report Post »wordweaver
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:22pmI am wondering what the chances are that Egypt can manage to conduct an election that is not rife with corruption right now. Sounds like an awful lot of folks aren’t happy with the primary; I wonder how many actually voted for those two.
Report Post »super_delegate
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:22pmPew Research did some good studies on Egypt several years back and found 55% have extremist pro Al Queda, anti-western views.
It should not be surprising that these revolutionaries are disappointed. I feel bad for them, it’s like being trapped in several bad marriages at one time.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:03pmThose muslim fools need to start wearing their Fruit Of The Loons on their heads, after a REAL GOOD WASHING of course.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:07pmThey‘re cuttin’ off the circulation to their corn dogs, I think.
Report Post »Paul
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:08pmThey already do !
Report Post »BeardedDog
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:59pmI’m stunned! (<sarcasm)
Report Post »FANGS
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:57pmAs we speak, Wisconsin Unions and Obama are Comitting Voter Fraud and Voter Rigging. If Scott Walker Doesn’t keep His Job as Govenor, Wisconsonites will snap. We‘re making Records of who has the Barrett sign’s on their lawns. It’s a start. The Tea Party will Arm and Destroy the left. It will start here..
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:31pmWisconsin people have some gonies like Joe Apario and troops. Good luck to ya(s.)
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:41pm@FANGS .. I doubt you are anywhere near TEA .. more like a union thug who will be violent when Barrett LOSES … You see we are on to you … when you accuse us of something we know EXACTLY what you are doing or going to do.
WALKER YES! OMG 2012 … LIBERTY!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:54pmSo we see extremist turning upon extremists. This is the future Obama seeks to unleash upon our nation if he gets the chance…say around the elections.
Report Post »Paul
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:10pmBingo ! imo…
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:33pmObama needs to be jailed for fraud. He and those who put him in office. He needs to take Holder with him and his buddy Rom. Vote him out, then jail him.
Report Post »BlackCrow
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:52pm“Surprise, surprise, surprise” Gomer Pyle.
Report Post »applehill
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:46pmI hope Jesus has plans to come back very very soon. This whole world is becoming a mad house.
Report Post »Paul
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:12pmHE does…
http://theseason.yolasite.com/
Just make sure you don’t fall for the “False One.”
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:46pmAt any point. At any time. Did anyone think this would go smooth???
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:10pmCrapper, Barry’s spokesman, said the Muslimbros are a largely secular organization. Screwy Louie thinks things are going very smoothly. Hillary is certain that the election will go very smoothly. And BARRY, he thinks things are going transparently smoothly, like butta. Clairified Butta
Report Post »Paul
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:13pmNope! Better hang on for the ride, it’s going to get interesting, to say the least…
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:02amEgypt, once the seat of Western Civilization has suffered under Islamic Jihad for centuries.
We witness those closing moves in a game where, once again, the Western peoples have lost.
Eureka.
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