Today there have been extremely violent clashes as usual between protesters and MB members as well other Islamists in
Cairo. It has been a norm now. Of course everybody will put the blame on the other. Today the Muslim brotherhood and couple of Islamist groups and parties protested at the Supreme court
in order to purify the judiciary. The numbers of their protesters to be honest were less than what I expected to the level I wonder till now the MB called for this protest at all.
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| The MB protesters at Prosecutor general office "AP" |
In all the previous protests organized by the MB the numbers were important to show off not in front of the Egyptian people but in front of the army and the United States. In all the previous protests of the Islamists the MB was careful to send that message to the United state and the army in Egypt that they are the majority.
May be the location at the Supreme court is not that big to handle the big mobilizations of MB from all over the country. Already MB leading Member Mohamed ElBeltagy hinted that the brotherhood will restore back Tahrir square next Friday.
Today was terrifying scene. Egyptians Vs. Egyptians , both sides were armed and both sides did not win but actually failed.
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| That boy stood against MB members on October bridge 'AP' |
Things started from bad to worse when unknown assailants attacked the MB members then clashes erupted between protesters and activists from surrounding downtown Cairo specifically in Ramsis street.
The clashes in Ramsis street
We are speaking about vital areas steps away from several parties and Tahrir square. The so-called Black Bloc group already organized a small protest at Talaat Harb square to denounce the decision of the prosecutor general to arrest its members.
The Black Bloc defies the prosecutor general !!
During that protest the BB alleged members set the MB flag on fire.
Al Masdr : Setting the MB flag on fire
Sooner gunshots appeared in the hands of everybody MB and non MB , Islamists and non Islamists.
From Al Masry Al Youm : Gunshots in the hands of everybody
Already things became mad when the MB members and supporters clashed with the protesters of Tahrir square at Abdel Moneim square. They attacked the other protesters from October bridge. There were crazy scenes today.
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| One of the crazy scenes today "AP" |
Footage of protesters beaten by MB members spread all over the day.
The security forces came to stop the clashes.
The buses of the MB from governorates were torched as usual
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| MB buses on fire as usual "AP" |
Of course the photographers and reporters were the biggest losers. Today the MB supporters attacked the TV crew of ONTV. Photographer Ibrahim El Masry from El Badil was shot and he is currently in critical condition.
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| ElBadil's Ibrahim El Masry shot |
I do not need t tell you that the Mubarak regime is using today’s events and the footage showing the MB members attacking the protesters with gunshots in the same Abdel Moneim square. The thing is the MB always claims that its protesters are peaceful whereas today handmade guns were seen in their hands.
Ahram Online : Islamist protesters filmed using firearms
According to the ministry of health over 95 have been injured today mostly in Cairo. 17 officers and policemen were injured as well. 19 Protesters have been arrested according to the ministry of interior.
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| One of the injured "AP" |
It is worth to mention earlier today , in dune just like in 1960s the authorities arrested 22 of not so famous protesters from all over Cairo and other governorates accusing them of being members of the Black Bloc.
what sort of cheap journalism do you subscribe to here? The protest against the corrupt judiciary is undoubtedly a valid revolutionary demand. Shame on you for not at least acknowledging that. Secondly the demo was organised and peaceful throughout most of the day to the point its organisers asked everyone to disperse at the end.
ReplyDeleteWho else was demonstrating that day and why? The 'opponents' were demonstrating aganst what? Against the right of others to demonstrate? What were their aims? Clearly to disrupt and cause violence.
So your kind of revolutionaries go out looking for a fight and pelt demonstrators with stones/gunfire. I won't dispute that some threw/shot back. Wether they were original demonstrators, pumped on adrenalin or thugs planted to promote the choas. It could have been a bit of both. The fundamental question that remains is why were opponents of the demo there if not to intimidate and cause a ruckus.
By so doing the thugs endanger all future peaceful demonstrations and raise the temp in Egypt to one of default violence.
No sane person should support this and no decent journalist should avoid outright condemnation of both the motives and the results of the actions of the "anti-demonstration demonstrators".
Dear Latifa , if you think I present cheap journalism then please do not subscribe to this blog and do not come here simply as that.
DeleteYou got MB media all over the internet so why are you sad angry from that small blog !!
Latifa, I am not sure if u are naïve or just have an agenda. First we all do condemn violence and we all strongly want the criminals to be arrested. So if the authorities are serious they have tapes to apprehend, and prosecute these thugs. Second, pretending that ruling party sponsored demonstrations to purify or sanitize the judicial system or the media, is part of a democratic process is ridiculous. Its an old practice done by Nasser, Iran or even Hitler's Germany. May you should try another one.
DeleteI don't know why zeinobia, but it seem like you constantly have the same group of MB supporters reading your blog and commenting. Don't pay any attention to them sweetie! You've got our support!
ReplyDeletesorry wasnt aware you did not like to entrtain constructive criticism. I value news about Egypt. Of course one needs to sift it and MB sites may have a little more 'truth' on their side at present but they are often tacky and somewhat unprofessional. Like most I try to see a range of opinions and make my own judgements. At present you are in danger of becoming unobjective to a massive extent. Of course no journalist is wholly objective, indeed that would be wrong. However to be so one sided, flying in the face of evidence does not become you.
ReplyDeleteEasy Latifa, Zeinobia went from an objective blog to an anti-MB blog. I have been reading her blog for than 1 year back and i can tell you she only write anti MB now when morsi is in power. She don't seem to care if you give her constructive criticism. The replay is very cheap (haha) considering your statement and her replay being "if you think I present cheap journalism then please do not subscribe to this blog and do not come here simply as that".
DeleteGuess I'll have to talk my husband out of visiting Egypt for the 6th time. Things are too out of control over there.:(
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it EVER will get better, it may be decades yet.
Thanks Zee for the video clips.
I don't get the author of this blog- before she was against Mubarak, against corruption now when government want to purge institutions against corruption she is against it. I think author is from such type of people who gonna be always against everything- government, politics, society etc. Just to show "independence" just always to be against. Doesnt matter what people are doing just to be against. I don't get such people. it looks childish.P S I never wanted insult anyone and author of this blog. Just criticism.
ReplyDeleteAnd how does any democratic government purge an institution? by applying the rule of law or sponsoring thugs in the streets? I am sure you know the answer.
DeleteYou guys don't know. When MB protesting its act of authoritarism and attempt to grab the power when opposition peacefully (!) attacks others its an act of democracy. this is logic of the author which just hates MB just cos its MB. Its actually hidden islamophobia
ReplyDeleteI am sure you are not trying to say we are not muslims because we disagree with the methods of the Muslim
DeleteBrotherhood. They can protest all they want when they are not the government. Now, they are the Judge, the ultimate referee, they are supposed to uphold the law that applies to everyone. They should prosecute everyone who committed a crime during these (peaceful) demonstrations, using real evidence. Instead they are applying the law selectively to their opponents.
Sorry Deb in Az, I'm afraid that as long as MB are destroying the options for a real democracy, it's not getting better. My wife is egyptian born, and I have lived in Egypt for 15 yrs - and we are really sad to witness what is happening now in Egypt when MB are destroying all the fundamental institutions in Egypt.
ReplyDeleteAnd to Latifa and other MB supporters, please don't answer to this.
To Zeinobia, your reporting is extremely important - pls stay safe!
Dear Arnvid, just a quick reply to say I wont reply then!
DeleteThe current problems in Egypt is leadership vacuum. In democratic society there are always tough competition between political groups. Typical names are conservatives and liberals, republicans & democrats etc. But once the election is over, the winner first task is to mend the differences, bridge the gap and act as a president for the entire country. The objective of democracy is inclusion and not dominance.
ReplyDeleteMB failed miserably in transforming from competing party before election to a ruling party after election. What's left to be seen wether failure is due to lack of experience or it is organic defect in political islam.
" What's left to be seen wether failure is due to lack of experience or it is organic defect in political Islam."
Delete_____________________________________________________
Organic defect in political Islam ? My dear, Islam is inherently political and its time to accept the reality. If you don't like the political aspects of Islam, you should be free to dissocciate yourself from Islam. Thats the only thing I hate about Islamists, their opposition to allowing born Muslims to leave Islam. It allows too many skeptics and people with weak Eeman to remain in our community. Better have a united, strong ummah of 25 million people than a weak, disunited one of 1.5 billions.
The "political" Islam you are complaining about is the same religion and ideology which created and ruled efficiently over one of the greatest empires in the World, the Ummayyad Empire, between 640 AD and 750 AD.
I challenge you to prove that Islam is not inherently political and that politics is not an integral part of Islam. Show me one authentic proof.
Islam is a true religion governing the relationship between humans and their creator. Political Islam as a way of governing in modern life is a failure. Politics is about coexistence, pragmatism and compromise. Barak Obama reversed his position on same sex marriage, not because of change in his personal opinion, but to accommodate pressure from his own political base. Political Islam tends to be polarizing even more among Muslims. Religion-based violence is greater among Muslims than between Muslims and others. The idea of a group based on pure Islamic faith doesn’t differ from previous ideas of pure race (Nazism) or pure working class (communism). These experiments vanished after long misery and huge casualties.
DeleteThe history recognized great empires. The Greek, the Romans, ancient Egyptian, Ummayyad etc. These empires left treasures in sculpture, painting, literacy, and architecture among other things. But it is all history now. In our modern time the European Union didn’t aim to recreate the Roman or Greek empire. The 25+ member states created a political and economic union suitable for modern challenges.
You guys don't get it, Zeinobia is angry because this time the MB and Islamists came well-prepared for the clashes in Cairo and were able to give a good beating to the feloul/anarchist thugs. She is angry that this time MB members ( most from outside Cairo ) were able to stand their ground against the Cairene riff-raff thugs and even push them back. She is angry that MB actually "won" this fight unlike the last time in the Mokattam clashes.
ReplyDeleteBtw thanks to Interior Ministry restructuring, MB can now be sure that Central Security units deployed in Cairo will be on its side against the feloul and anarchist thugs.
I think that is unfair comment. Firstly no one should be proud of violence and all this talk of winning the skirmishes is childish. If Zeinab has been childish in egging on thugs comments like yours indicate some on the MB side have a similar standpoint and both are wrong in my opinion. We need cohabitation, no takfir, no baiting muslims over their faith. Just grow up!
DeleteNice to see how many people from different backgrounds read this blog and think it is important enough to comment on what is written here!
ReplyDeleteI am from Europe, so I know only little about the situation in Egypt "first hand". I only have TV and the web to keep myself informed about what is going on in your country. I read this and that and try to figure out, what might be the truth. And sometimes it seems there is more than one truth...
This blog is a very important source of information for me. I realize that it is only the opinion of one single woman who wants to tell the world, what she thinks. But I want to read it!
To accuse her of "cheap journalism" or being "unobjective to a massive extent" is way over the top and clearly not my opinion. Zeinobia, I value your blog and your opinion about things. Please keep it up!
Jolly