Sunday, May 15, 2011

Egypt police fire tear gas at Nakba rally



Security forces try to disperse "Nakba Day" demonstrators after a group attempts to "storm" Israeli embassy in Cairo.

"Egyptian police have fired tear gas at protesters outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo, after a group of demonstrators reportedly attempted to storm the building.

Thousands of protesters had massed outside of the embassy in the capital on Sunday to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the "Nakba" or "catastrophe" - the day Israel declared its independence and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes.

Witnesses said a group of demonstrators later tried to storm the entrance of the embassy. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Rob Gilles, who was at the scene, told Al Jazeera that some protesters responded by burning tires in the middle of the road and throwing stones.

"The security forces have made a charge outside the embassy to clear the street in front of it and most of the protesters are being forced back," he said.

'Determined protesters'

"They've sealed off the main area into it but there is still a determined presence here, they are determined not to move, spurred on by the images they've seen of the Nakba protests in other parts of the Middle East... "

No comments: