Egypt protests escalate as toll rises

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Two more people died and hundreds were arrested as the biggest uprising against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule widened, prompting Washington to prod its long-time ally on democratic reforms.

Incensed demonstrators appeared set for further protests despite a crackdown that saw hundreds detained and left six people dead over two days.

A policeman and a protester died in Cairo in a shower of rock-throwing between the two sides on Wednesday.

Police fired tear gas at hundreds of demonstrators and chased them through the streets of a popular commercial district, witnesses said.

Protesters responded by throwing rocks at police, damaging several shop fronts in an area near the information ministry.

There were also clashes as demonstrators pushed their way through a gate into the compound of the foreign ministry before being driven out with tear gas.

Protesters in the northeastern port city of Suez threw Molotov cocktails at a government building, setting parts of it on fire, witnesses said.

Others firebombed and occupied the headquarters there of the ruling National Democratic Party.

In clashes with police, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowds, 55 protesters and 15 police were injured, medics said on Wednesday.

And dozens were arrested in Egypt’s second city of Alexandria as they tried to reach a sea-front square to demonstrate, witnesses said.

The protests in the Arab world’s most populous nation, inspired by the groundbreaking ‘Jasmine Revolution’ in Tunisia, sent shockwaves across the region and Egypt’s interior ministry banned further demonstrations.

Despite the ban and a threat to arrest those who disobeyed, members of the pro-democracy youth group April 6 Movement, the driving force behind the unrest, said they would take to the streets.

‘We’ve started and we won’t stop,’ one demonstrator said.

‘To continue what we started on January 25, we will take to the streets to demand the right to life, liberty, dignity and we call on everyone to take to the streets … and to keep going until the demands of the Egyptian people have been met,’ the group said.

The pro-democracy group circulated SMS messages and posted appeals on social networking site Facebook for fresh demonstrations on Friday after the Muslim weekly prayers ‘to demand the right to live with freedom and dignity’.

Facebook said on Wednesday that it had not seen any major changes in traffic following reports it had been blocked in Egypt.

The White House meanwhile issued a nuanced written statement in Obama’s name on Egypt.

‘The Egyptian government has an important opportunity to be responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people, and pursue political, economic and social reforms that can improve their lives and help Egypt prosper,’ it said.

‘The United States is committed to working with Egypt and the Egyptian people to advance these goals,’ it added.

The statement also underlined US support for basic democratic freedoms ‘including the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly’.

The protests are the largest in Egypt since bread riots in 1977, four years before Mubarak came to power.

Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said the ‘government is keen to guarantee freedom of expression through legitimate means’, but did not elaborate.

Among protesters’ demands are the departure of the interior minister, whose security forces have been accused of heavy-handedness; an end to a decades-old state of emergency, which gives police wide powers of arrest and bans demonstrations; and a rise in minimum wages.

On Wednesday, Bahrain’s King Hamad telephoned Mubarak and called for Arab leaders to meet to ‘adopt a strategy on the future and progress of the Arab nation, in the interests of the Arab people, their security and stability’. Bigpond

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34 responses to “Egypt protests escalate as toll rises”

  1. PROPHET.T Avatar

    Imagine these protests were taking place in another country.Let us say, Iran, Syria, Russia, Venezuela, Mexico.
    Imagine if any other country/dictatorship ,not a friendly one to the united state,clamped down hard on protesters,
    stopped the internet altogether, stopped Twitter and Facebook , and stopped all cell phone services. Imagine people are getting shot by police everyday by any other regime ,beside Egypt.
    We would have seen the outrage by all western countries,and western media in support of these protests.
    Where is the outrage of all of yaliban liberal democracy and freedom lovers?
    I know why. maybe. Aren’t these protesters sexy enough?They are not as pretty as those Iranian protesters.
    No, it is not that. It’s all about hypocrisy. Hypocrisy of the international community,and hypocrisy of most posters of this site too.Where are all the democracy lovers?They are all quiet now.

    1. Hannibal Avatar

      I second that. I gather nations at the end, regardless of convictions, stand with the winner, and since nobody can predict this one as to outcome, they kind of do a wait and see. Even in Lebanon, after the coup to overturn the government and arm twist the Druze PMs, and after all is said and done you will see that nations will come around to shake hands with the Mikati government. It is about masla7a NOT principles. So stop thinking with your heart and get all hyped up… 😛

    2. Prophet,

      I wish the Egyptian a true democracy, let hope that the muslim brother to take over!
      Cheers Brother!

      1. Hannibal Avatar

        Does it have to be Moslem? I bet a copt will do better than any moslem anytime and won’t rob moslems of their livelihood.

        1. Hannibal

          I did a mistake I wanted to say lets hope the muslim brother don’t take the power

      2. PROPHET.T Avatar

        marc,
        The Muslim brotherhood has no chance of taking over; They barly represent 20 % of Egyptian population.
        If( still big If) change takes place,and a democratically elected government is elected, you might see a decline in their influence.
        They never lead this movement.and they can never claim credit for any possible change.

  2. PROPHET.T Avatar

    Imagine these protests were taking place in another country.Let us say, Iran, Syria, Russia, Venezuela, Mexico.
    Imagine if any other country/dictatorship ,not a friendly one to the united state,clamped down hard on protesters,
    stopped the internet altogether, stopped Twitter and Facebook , and stopped all cell phone services. Imagine people are getting shot by police everyday by any other regime ,beside Egypt.
    We would have seen the outrage by all western countries,and western media in support of these protests.
    Where is the outrage of all of yaliban liberal democracy and freedom lovers?
    I know why. maybe. Aren’t these protesters sexy enough?They are not as pretty as those Iranian protesters.
    No, it is not that. It’s all about hypocrisy. Hypocrisy of the international community,and hypocrisy of most posters of this site too.Where are all the democracy lovers?They are all quiet now.

    1. I second that. I gather nations at the end, regardless of convictions, stand with the winner, and since nobody can predict this one as to outcome, they kind of do a wait and see. Even in Lebanon, after the coup to overturn the government and arm twist the Druze PMs, and after all is said and done you will see that nations will come around to shake hands with the Mikati government. It is about masla7a NOT principles. So stop thinking with your heart and get all hyped up… 😛

    2. Prophet,

      I wish the Egyptian a true democracy, let hope that the muslim brother to take over!
      Cheers Brother!

      1. Does it have to be Moslem? I bet a copt will do better than any moslem anytime and won’t rob moslems of their livelihood.

        1. Hannibal

          I did a mistake I wanted to say lets hope the muslim brother don’t take the power

      2. PROPHET.T Avatar

        marc,
        The Muslim brotherhood has no chance of taking over; They barley represent 20 % of Egyptian population.
        If( still big If) change takes place,and a democratically elected government is elected, you might see a decline in their influence.
        They never lead this movement.and they can never claim credit for any possible change.

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