Egyptian president's regime orchestrates bloody battles in Tahrir Square against protesters seeking his removal from power
Peter Beaumont, Jack Shenker and Mustafa Khalili in Cairo
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 February 2011
"Supporters of Hosni Mubarak moved today to brutally crush the popular uprising against him as they stormed Cairo's Tahrir Square, for days the epicentre of the movement to remove the Egyptian president. Using clubs, bats, knives and even homemade spears, pro-Mubarak demonstrators charged the square at just before 2pm. They had been gathering for several hours 800 metres from the square on the Nile Corniche, outside the state television station......
While many had anticipated a move to clear Tahrir Square by the security forces, the use of mob violence, orchestrated by the regime, had not been foreseen.......
By late afternoon, groups of men were visible on roofs in Chapillion, a few hundred metres from the square where they hurled missiles down on those beneath them. Paving stones were broken up to be uses as weapons and, soon after six o'clock, shots from automatic weapons were heard.
Among those singled out for attack were western journalists who have been blamed by the pro-Mubarak camp for encouraging the movement against him.
The Guardian witnessed dozens of people being brought in for first aid, some with horrific injuries, at a makeshift aid station set up in the open at the entrance to the square.....
The differences between Tuesday's demonstration against Mubarak and today's violence were striking. Yesterday, army and activists staffed checkpoints to prevent violence; today, Egyptian soldiers made no effort to prevent confrontation. At one stage, they moved out of the way to allow pro-Mubarak demonstrators to reach their opponents.
Among those attacking the square were groups of armed men who appeared to be plainclothes police officers. Credible reports spoke of some of those involved in the assault in Tahrir Square having been paid by the regime....."
Peter Beaumont, Jack Shenker and Mustafa Khalili in Cairo
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 2 February 2011
"Supporters of Hosni Mubarak moved today to brutally crush the popular uprising against him as they stormed Cairo's Tahrir Square, for days the epicentre of the movement to remove the Egyptian president. Using clubs, bats, knives and even homemade spears, pro-Mubarak demonstrators charged the square at just before 2pm. They had been gathering for several hours 800 metres from the square on the Nile Corniche, outside the state television station......
While many had anticipated a move to clear Tahrir Square by the security forces, the use of mob violence, orchestrated by the regime, had not been foreseen.......
By late afternoon, groups of men were visible on roofs in Chapillion, a few hundred metres from the square where they hurled missiles down on those beneath them. Paving stones were broken up to be uses as weapons and, soon after six o'clock, shots from automatic weapons were heard.
Among those singled out for attack were western journalists who have been blamed by the pro-Mubarak camp for encouraging the movement against him.
The Guardian witnessed dozens of people being brought in for first aid, some with horrific injuries, at a makeshift aid station set up in the open at the entrance to the square.....
The differences between Tuesday's demonstration against Mubarak and today's violence were striking. Yesterday, army and activists staffed checkpoints to prevent violence; today, Egyptian soldiers made no effort to prevent confrontation. At one stage, they moved out of the way to allow pro-Mubarak demonstrators to reach their opponents.
Among those attacking the square were groups of armed men who appeared to be plainclothes police officers. Credible reports spoke of some of those involved in the assault in Tahrir Square having been paid by the regime....."
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