Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Carnage in Cairo

Brutal Violence At Tahrir Square, Mubarack Thugs Attack the ProDemocracy Demonstrators
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{Actual photo from the Square: Wounded being treated by Doctors in the Tahrir Square. Makeshift hospitals being set up by the Museum and the Mosque.Can not give credit for safety reasons.}
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When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall -- think of it, ALWAYS."~~Gandhi, Just yesterday Gandhi groups were sharing and reading on this very Square.
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At approximately 1 PM Cairo Time all Hell broke loose in the Tahrir Square. Thousands of peaceful Protesters were still there including many families.At at about 12:30 PM their time, suddenly Cellphones were working, and some were saying that Internet was working. Some even tweeted to each other that maybe "normalcy" was returning, others that it was an ominous sign. The Mubarack Thugs started arriving very suddenly they arrived via trucks and also on Camel and Horses, some had Machetes and knives and and whips... others started throwing rocks. ( I will post the Whip photos and video when I get it to embed, It was barbaric and the Army stood by and silently did nothing.).
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El Baradei has been on BBC bravely speaking out about what happened today at the Tahrir Square.Citizens watching this await Someone to speak out about The Violence that we are witnessing. Only ElBaradei has spoken out, that these are the actions of a Criminal.
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At first the Protesters tried to be peaceful and even prayed and tried to back away. But as the Attacks increased with intensity, the protesters started to break up rocks and throw them back in defense, and create make shift shields/walls to protect themselves. Journalists were targeted and some were harassed, and some were beat up. Anderson Cooper was beat up with his team, and was kicked in the head 10 times. He and his team were kicked and thrown to the ground. ( And yet he got to the hotel and continued to report and even went back on the street). Many journalists were beaten up today, and their equipment damaged or confiscated ( I am still trying to gather which ones. one of my favorite teams the Norwegians were beaten up and held for hours.).
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11PM in Cairo and the Battle is raging.
And the Bloody Battle Rages on, Thousands are stuck in the Square and having to defend themselves against Mubarcack's Thugs, His Thugs are known Bullies and known for behaving in this manner, according to Twitter they were recruited and paid to do this. They are now on Roofs throwing Cement Blocks and Fire bombs and Molotov Cocktails down on the Democracy Protesters down below. ( Someone allowed them up on those roofs.) That the Military that promised 24 hours ago to protect them and now is enabling these thugs to crush these peaceful people. According to HRW atleast 6-8 dead and more than 600 Wounded.

(( It is now 4 PM here and 11PM in Cairo and the Battle is raging. In my lifetime I have never seen anything like this, I will try to update, I am still gathering off Twitter both real time accounts,photos and video)) And I will post photos off the TV as not alot of the video is available yet. Many of you remember I did Blog Iran, but in some ways this is worse. In June 1989 we all witnessed Tinemann Square where the Army unleashed horrendous violence, but this is worse because the Army that had promised Protection is sitting by allowing such brutality. Only an Angry Unwanted Dictator would do this to his own People and order such Violence. And anyone with eyes watching this knows this is not a peaceful path to Democracy. This will continue to be a Bloody Night in Cairo. Prayers to Egypt.))
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Army has done little all day. Protesters have been detaining Trapped Thugs and they found weapons on them and Police ID. Anderson Cooper is reporting at MN that the battle rages on and the ProDemocracy Protesters have created a Metal Barricade to block off the Cairo Museum and they have set Tanks on fire to protect the Museum. ( 5PM Anderson's film footage running on CNN from the beating earlier today, explaining that anyone with a camera is very vulnerable.)
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1AM update::: (via MSNBC,CNN and Twitter)
Medical Update, atleast 6-8 dead. 1500-2000 Wounded. Doctors went to great extent to get doctors medics into the Square.
Most of the Patients have Head Wounds, and also burns. Some are being allowed to be transferred to hospitals now. But it is still difficult to get wounded out of the Square, so there are many walking wounded. Doctors and medical people are going to the Square and stocking their own cars with medical supplies and tending to wounded and trying to move the critical ones to the hospital.
The Square:::The Protesters have managed to get the turf in front of and next to the Museum., this started because too many Molokov cocktails were being thrown near the museum, so people moved there to protect it and put out fires, now they have fought tooth and nail to protect and claim this turf, making sheilds out of signs benches, they even moved cars and debris to create the barricade. ( It is important to note that when these Protesters went to bed last night they sang, drank tea and had NO weapons with them,,.,,NONE).

5 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

They defeated the thugs.

Not only that, by doing so, they won over the wavering middle classes.

enigma4ever said...

renegade..
I mostly have been livetweeting this for days..so have not been here much...( have been on FB a little...) but in all honesty...in an odd way the Battle on The Square will go down in History....they won hearts and minds of millions...and they also show who is stronger and wants Freedom more...

I don't know what happened during the night...but I do think that an old man dictator fought with "his" army....and just maybe the army has decided they are the People's army....but time will tell...

in a country of 80 million it is estimated that over 4.5 showed up at demonstrations today...in spite of massive thuggery and bloody messes...

that Mubarack has estimated worth of 40-70 Billion stashed away and 7-8 palaces...and that the People live on less than 4 dollars a day ( >60% of the people...) they really are truly Hungering ...Hungering for change...

They held that square..truly armed with courage...
and the Eyes of the World Watching....

Anonymous said...

You are my source for what is really happening and I want to thank you for that. This has proven to the world that if the people speak and stand together , they can force change with out becoming violent. We can only hope that when our time comes to take Amerkica back, we will walk like the Egyptians.

mommapolitico said...

Nice coverage on the Mubarak thugs, WS. I was down with bronchitis and the flu for 2 weeks - never been off work that long due to illness (besides childbirth!) in my entire life. (Actually, I think childbirth was quicker!)

I got completely drawn in by the protests, as all I could do was to open my eyelids and stare at the TV once in awhile. But once I did, it was hard to look away. The beautiful way they protected each other in prayer, Muslims and Christians alike, the flowers and kisses to the military for protecting the people, it all gave me faith that they could do this. And lo and behold, a day or two later, they did.
Now comes the hard part, the building of the democracy. But to folks who have such unity and show each other such respect, anything is possible. Let's hope for the best in Egypt.
Great post - without the word getting out, this whole thing would have been painted differently!

Gary said...

What history we are part of (or at least witnessing through the TV and computer)... I think standing up to power is on the rise...and power is on the slink.