Egypt Update: Ugliness unfolds as Darkness falls

Posted: February 2, 2011 | Author: Mona (aka Wonk the Vote) | Filed under: Breaking News, Egypt | Tags: 2011: days of revolt, Orderly transition |22 Comments

To recap, breaking news from earlier this morning:

Egyptian Military asks protesters to stop

Yemeni president won’t seek re-election

The military is not intervening as Clashes Erupt in Cairo Between Mubarak’s Allies and Foes (NYT):

President Obama’s calls for a rapid transition to a new order in Egypt seemed eclipsed on Wednesday as thousands of demonstrators for and against President Hosni Mubarak, some on horses and camels, fought running battles in and around Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

These pro-Mubarak rent-a-mobs coming in on camels and creating violence and anarchy are calling themselves “pro-stability forces.”

Anderson Cooper is fine and reporting live now, but earlier Anderson was attacked (Huffpo):

CNN’s Steve Brusk tweeted that “Anderson said he was punched 10 times in the head as pro-Mubarak mob surrounded him and his crew trying to cover demonstration.”

A CNN update said that “no one was seriously hurt” in the attack.

CNN Anchor and correspondent Hala Gorani reporting she was charged at again and again after the camels came to town.

Molotov cocktails being thrown. Fires being started.

If the White House is reviewing economic and military aid to Egypt, now would be the time to cut it off. Look at what our tax dollars are going to. Certainly not an “orderly transition” on the Mubarak regime’s part.

From NYT’s the Lede:

9:45 A.M. |Twitter Updates From Cairo’s Tahrir Square:

Nicholas Kristof, a Times Op-Ed columnist on the scene in Tahrir, posted this update on his Twitter feed two minutes ago:

Mubarak seems to be trying to stage a crackdown not with police or army, but with thugs. They are armed and brutal.

8:56 A.M. |Egyptian Blogger Says Clashes Are Mubarak Ploy:

In a biting, angry and harrowing commentary on the clashes unfolding in Cairo on Wednesday, the Egyptian blogger who writes as Sandmonkey has called the appearance of regime supporters on Cairo’s streets, igniting violent clashes, a ploy by President Hosni Mubarak to create chaos and justify his continued rule.

Here is Sandmonkey’s commentary, posted on Twitter on Wednesday as the first clashes were reported on Egyptian state television:

Watching the egyptian media now is driving me insane. Propaganda & Stupidity overdose!

The TV just annunced that there is a Pro Mubarak million-man-march. This will be hilarious. They managed to get 1000 today.

Clashes in Tahrir square. The egyptian TV claims that hundreds of thousands of protesters are Pro Mubarak.

Clashes, Pro Mubarak people attacking protesters. Tear Gas thrown. Very violent. No Army intervention so far.

Twitter won’t work from my phone. Everything else works.

egyptian army is not seperating the people, they r holding the egyptian flag&urging egyptians- who r beating each other- to unite.

Twitter down on all mobiles. web still works.

Camels and Horses used by Pro Mubarak protesters to attack Anti-Mubarak protesters. This is becoming literally a circus.

You can’t even make up a movie that would equal this level of insanity.

Ok, it is official, my @Mobinil line has twitter and facebook blocked on it. They work fine on my etisalat line….

This means the regime knows who I am and where I live. My life is now officially in danger.

people are showing on TV holding police ID’s from the protesters they just clashed with.

Mubarak has proven to be smarter than all of us, he will not leave. Just watch.

The aim of this is to evacuate the Tahrir square & justify never having protests there Friday, where 1 is scheduled, or ever again.

Authoritarian regimes, watch Mubarak and learn from the master…. Ben Ali must be so jealous he didn’t think of this psychotic brilliant plan.

CNN’s Ben Wedeman on the phone right now, describing this as a:

lynch mob

and

revenge of the Mubarak regime.

Anderson Cooper on the phone a couple minutes ago telling Suzanne Malveaux he does not want to reveal his exact location “for security reasons.”

Headlines running on Al Jazeera English Live Feed:

Military personnel reportedly telling people to return to their homes.

Some people were seen throwing fire bombs from the rooftops of buildings.

Reports of hundreds of people being injured in Tahrir square.

US Senator John Kerry calls on Mubarak to step down.

Many Egyptian citizens blame US for supporting President Mubarak.

The official body count for today is:

1 person dead.

But Al Jazeera is reporting that hundreds are injured and more deaths are suspected.

Tweet from 4 hours ago:

DominicKavakeb It’s so vital that world understands this is not a divided #Egypt. This is the state attacking the people. #jan25 #tahrir

Robert Gibbs speaking on Egypt now.

Saying Obama wants transition NOW as he said earlier, but Gibbs is stressing it more than Obama.

Gibbs answering question about Obama not having taking any questions when he has spoken on Egypt: Nothing to see here, standard Gibbs “uhhhhh” delay-and-stall-and-make-it-look-like-he’s-saying-something Evasion tactics.

Gibbs answering question on Hillary saying economic aid to Egypt is not going to be stopped in her Sunday appearance with Christiane Amanpour. Gibbs explains the obvious hedging as if we don’t understand.

Gibbs also evades question about whether Obama asking for transition now means he wants the election to take place before September or not.

Gibbs being pushed on the fact that Obama’s reaction 8 days ago was not in line with his Cairo speech.

Look at that “orderly transition” to the left brought to you by “pro-stability forces.”

Al Jazeera reporting more clashes seem to be on the way.

Ok, I’ll leave the last update to Christiane Amanpour’s latest report, which just showed up on memeorandum just 10 minutes ago:

We just got back to the hotel after trying to film on the bridge into Tahrir Square.

An angry mob surrounded us and chased us into the car shouting that they hate America. They kicked in the car doors and broke our windshield as we drove away.

Christiane reports that in Tahrir square, the protesters are of two minds: some say Mubarak’s announcement that he won’t seek re-election is not enough, he must step down now, while others are ready to put an end to the protests and let Mubarak save face so that the transition can happen in a more contained fashion. Most people are very concerned about what will happen next and whether their economy and institutions will collapse.

More from Christiane:

I had an interview with the long-time president of the Arab League, the Egyptian Amr Moussa, here in Cairo today. He says the people have sent a clear message that democracy and change are coming to the Arab world.

But he also said that Egypt cannot be allowed to collapse. That, he worried, would send the wrong signal to the rest of the world, particularly to Egypt’s allies.

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