Egypt anti-government protests grow

[butchersapron]

Joel Beinin update (not read yet): Workers, Trade Unions and Egypt's Political Future

 

[butchersapron]

Mad scenes this morning outside the prison where families are trying to break open the condemned - 27 dead now min. At least three civilians (assume they are) with proper big fucking guns in this vid from earlier today.

 

[likesfish]

Jesus fuck 70 dead from a football riot!
Death sentances handed out on top of everything else going on in egypt

 

[dylans]

it's turning into a bloody mess. Port Said is burning. Entrances in and out of the port and the free zone are blockaded. People are trying to storm the prison. The military are on the streets.Live fire is being used the number of dead is growing and its going to go on for a while as there are still loads of defendants to be tried including police.

Meanwhile Cairo ultras and families of the martyrs are celebrating.

 

[weltweit]

Jesus fuck 70 dead from a football riot!
Death sentances handed out on top of everything else going on in egypt

From what I understand it, the killings at the footy match - awful that they were - was quite some time ago but the death penalties came through now. Some are calling for some of the police to receieve death penalties also. Pretty nasty all round.

 

[likesfish]

Its sounds like an egyptian hillsbourgh turned up to 11
Insane fan violence and the egyptian police either ignored it locked gates to,prevent fans fleeing.
Tbf if the egyptian police are anything like the army they'd be utterly useless.
The egyptian army is basically paid shedloads and given loads of hi tech toys not to start a fight with israel

 

[butchersapron]

Its sounds like an egyptian hillsbourgh turned up to 11
Insane fan violence and the egyptian police either ignored it locked gates to,prevent fans fleeing.
Tbf if the egyptian police are anything like the army they'd br utterly useless.

You get that this happened one year ago right?

 

[likesfish]

Yes it was still fucking horrible though you cant kill rival fans and expect,to get away with it.
Not that I belive the egyptian police would put a case together that would hold up,in a proper case.

 

[elbows]

Some people are shot in this video, including what appears to be someone in a wheelchair.

 

[elbows]

Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed El-Beltagy urges Egyptian authorities on Sunday to "step in with full strength in order to prevent the killing of civilians," in response to the clashes that have overtaken major cities in Egypt on the second anniversary of the revolution and after a court issued a controversial death sentence.

"What are you waiting for to interfere?" he asked in a Facebook message directed to President Mohamed Morsi, Prime Minister Hisham Qandil, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and Defence Minister Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

"You need to stop the arson attacks, blocking roads, bridges and tunnels and provide security," he admonished. "It is your duty to immediately intervene to face this thuggery through via all legitimate means provided by the constitution and the law, including declaring an emergency state."

"God, history, and the people will hold you accountable if you stand still without robustly confronting killings, arson attacks and lootings … That has nothing to do with the right to peacefully protest or stage a sit-in for political purposes."

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/63406.aspx

 

[elbows]

Meanwhile in the world of politics:

Hamdeen Sabbahi's Popular Current lays down three conditions for its participation in President Morsi's national dialogue

The National Defence Council (NDC), which is headed by President Mohamed Morsi and includes key military and police leaders, on Saturday called for a national dialogue.

The current's three conditions are:
1. The violence and bloodshed must end.
2. The authorities must accept responsibility for the bloodshed.
3. The dialogue must give priority to issues of social justice, economic issues, addressing the people's daily problems and resolving the current political deadlock.

The current said it welcomed calls for a national dialogue but only if it has "an agenda that is known to all concerned parties, sessions are held publicly, and guarantees are provided for what is agreed on."

It condemned last December's national dialogue with President Morsi as a "dictator dialogue."

The NDC did not address the economic and political causes for the recent protests, the current added.

In addition, it criticised platitudes by the presidency about press freedom, pointing to the intimidation of media figures by "a group that adopts religion as a political slogan."

The NDC might consider declaring a state of emergency in some areas due to recent violent clashes, Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud said on Saturday.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsCon...ular-Current-sets-conditions-for-nationa.aspx

 

[elbows]

Apparently it has been announced that Morsi will address the nation tonight.

 

[bolshiebhoy]

And he announces a state of emergency in the effected areas. Just as likely to inflame the situation of course.

Morsi continues the Mubarak tack of expressing condolences for the deaths of protestors he ordered shot.

 

[bolshiebhoy]

http://www.egyptindependent.com/opinion/sexual-assault-tahrir-what-it-means-and-how-stop-it

Depressing and revolting piece about the prevalence of sexual assault in Tahrir itself. I noticed one tweet from Gigi Ibrahim on Friday who is used to this shit but was still shocked at how in the middle of a major stone throwing fight with the military police some among the crowd around her were using the events as cover to grope female protestors. words fail to describe the mentality of someone who can do that.

 

[dylans]

Gun battles in Port Said after police attack funerals
30 day state of emergency declared in Port Said Ismalia and Suez.
40 people dead. 7 killed attending funerals.
All the canal cities are now in total revolt.

The streets of Port Said were convulsed by gun battles tonight as groups of civilians, some using Kalashnikov machine guns, launched attacks on police stations and an army club.
At least seven people were killed and more than 400 injured during the violence in the city in Egypt’s north east, which began when security forces launched an unprovoked attack on tens of thousands of mourners as they carried the coffins of 33 protesters who were killed during clashes on Saturday.
Machine guns could be heard rattling throughout the centre of the city, as police holed up in one of the main stations exchanged fire with protesters among the gloomy, shuttered-up streets.
Hundreds of civilians, many of whom had been caught up in the earlier attack, were sheltering in side roads as they tried to avoid ricocheting bullets.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ses-as-gun-battles-rage-in-egypt-8468852.html

 

[butchersapron]

Early reports say there are already more people out on the streets of Port Said today than yesterday.

 

[dylans]

As thousands of protesters and Central Security Forces (CSF) locked horns – trading stones and teargas cannisters – for a third consecutive day near Cairo's Tahrir Square, a young boy clad only in green boxer shorts emerges from Egypt's Nile River to pelt soldiers with stones before disappearing back into the river.

 

[bolshiebhoy]

Superb stuff. How can these people fail.

 

[bolshiebhoy]

Interesting subplot about looting as on the original Jan28 and Jan29. The Semiramis hotel in Cairo looted over night and guests rushed out the back door. But the protestors did their best to stop the looting:

Gigi Ibrahim:
"Semiramis hotel, where all the clashes has been happening in front of for several days now has been raided by thugs midst clashes"
"Which lead to police and protesters joining forces in attempt to arrest the thugs stealing Samiramis Hotel"

 

[elbows]

Lately via twitter I kept seeing references to sections of the Egyptian media wibbling about the Black Bloc. This Sandmonkey article finally provies me with an explanation, although I'm not convinced it does the subject complete justice.

http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/01/28/blockheads/

 

[dylans]

Lately via twitter I kept seeing references to sections of the Egyptian media wibbling about the Black Bloc. This Sandmonkey article finally provies me with an explanation, although I'm not convinced it does the subject complete justice.

http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2013/01/28/blockheads/

I think he is right about the witchhunt mentality though. This from Ahram

Egyptian Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdallah on Tuesday ordered the arrest of all members of the anti-state 'Black Bloc' group, which has made its appearance in recent anti-government demonstrations and disrupted traffic and Cairo's Metro line.

Abdallah directed police and Egypt's armed forces to arrest anyone suspected of being affiliated with the group. He also urged citizens to provide any information they have about the group or its members and assist in their arrest by authorities.

Charges were brought against the group by lawyer Khaled El-Masry, who accused it of inciting chaos across the country and torching the office of the Muslim Brotherhood's website (ikhwanonline) and several pharmacies.

El-Masry's lawsuit also accuses a handful of prominent opposition personalities with involvement in the group's establishment. These include former presidential hopeful Hamdeen Sabbahi, his presidential campaign coordinator Sherif Ashraf, Tahrir television channel owner Soliman Amer, and television presenter Dina Abdel-Fattah.

On Tuesday, Abdallah formally launched an investigation into the allegations.
Hussein Yassin, spokesman for Egypt's public prosecution, told state news agency MENA that investigations had revealed the Black Bloc to be an "organised, terrorist group."

According to the public prosecution, withholding information about the group, promoting the group's image, or even dressing like its members could all result in legal penalties, as the Black Bloc's recent activities serve to "endanger the state's internal security."

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsCon...ecutorgeneral-orders-arrest-of-Black-Blo.aspx

 

[bolshiebhoy]

witchhunting a real danger. But I liked the revolutionary who mocked them for "protesting against islamism by wearing black from head to foot. Have they really thought this through?"

 

[dylans]

Amnesty have released testimonies from Port Said residents. Its grim stuff.

http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset...cae-422c-b32b-0ca53c26e314/mde120082013en.pdf

 

[teqniq]

It's all kicked off outside the Presidential palace this eve.

live streaming here

live updates here

 

[teqniq]

Two killed from the demo above from shotgun wounds, meanwhile this is grim:

Popular Current member dies in hospital after being 'tortured'

Popular Current activist Mohamed al-Gendy died early Monday morning after several days in the intensive care unit at Helal Hospital.

In a Facebook post mourning Gendy, the Popular Current said that he had been "tortured to death," holding President Mohamed Morsy and Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim "criminally responsible."

The group added that it will pursue judicial action against Morsy and Ibrahim and increase political pressure on both as well.

Gendy was found injured in Helal Hospital after going missing from Tahrir Square 28 January. The hospital reported that he had been in a car accident, but Mohamed Abdel Aziz, a lawyer with Al-Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, said that he had clear torture marks on his body and accused the hospital of changing Gendy's arrival date to cover up his kidnapping....

Also:

Nadiaglory: Urgent : 2 Copts sentenced to 3 years in prison #Maspero trial 2011 : 27 Copts killed mainly by military Apcs Oct. 2011 #Egypt

RawyaRageh: Court sentences Michael Nagib, Michael Shaker to 3 years in prison over accusations they stole mil weapons during #Maspero clashes #Egypt

 

[butchersapron]

The revolution, back in black

Some useful wider and historical info (BB in Egypt growing out of the Ultras etc)

 

[dylans]

This is pretty rough. From the Arabist

If the dark absurdity of the Hamada Saber case isn't enough, here is another illustration of the ongoing casual cruelty of the Egyptian state that has activists riled up.

Mahmoud Adel Mohammed Hassan and Abdel Rahman Ramadan Mohammad are two 14-year-old kids who were arrested in Alexandria recently. They have been detained in a regular prison, with adults, for 15 days, and a judge recently renewed their detention for an additional 15 days. The prosecution told police to transfer them to a juvenile home, but although some officials intervened in the case nothing happened. The police would not move them.

The thing is, young Mahmoud suffers from Ewing's Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. The judge has denied an appeal for his release on medical grounds. He has thus been unable to attend the chemotherapy sessions he needs to survive. His family has tried everything to get him out, a number of activists are trying to petititon the prosecutor the intervene.

To get a 14-year-old kid his chemotherapy treatment, apparently, is not that easy. Even if you have a prosecutor's order and their case appears to lack any clear evidence.

http://www.arabist.net/

 

[teqniq]

Speaking of Hamada Saber, who I omitted from my previous post he was beaten, naked by riot police at the Presidential place riot. Later when asked he denied that the police had anything to do with it evidently he had been intimidated:

 

[teqniq]

Also the guy who died above, Mohamed al-Gendy - earlier the police teargassed mourners at his funeral. Currently there are clashes ongoing in Tanta where the funeral took place.

 

[teqniq]

Interesting, what's the betting the IMF loan gets rushed through or gets more strings attached to it:

CAIRO (AP) — Iran's president says his country is ready to provide a "big credit line" to help revive the distressed economy of Egypt, which saw its foreign currency reserves — already at critically low levels — fall nearly 10 percent last month.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose comments were published in the state-run Al-Ahram newspaper on Wednesday, is on a three-day visit to Egypt, centered around an Islamic summit.

It is the first trip by an Iranian leader in more than three decades. The two countries severed relations after the 1979 Islamic revolution, but after fall of Egypt's close U.S. ally Hosni Mubarak and last summer's election of an Islamist president, the two countries have grown closer.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10646530