Egypt #4
So, Egypt. This ain't a happy post. If you haven't been following it on your own, here's a rundown of the past couple of days. I'm getting my info from Al Jazeera's live blogs for Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, and I myself saw quite a lot of this as it was happening.
Early in the morning (Egypt time) on Feb. 2 in Alexandria, some pro-Mubarak protesters attacked anti-Mubarak protesters. I use the term "pro-Mubarak protesters" extremely loosely, as a stack of evidence points to them being paid to do this. Whether they truly support Mubarak, I couldn't say.
In the afternoon, conflict exploded in Tahrir Square in Cairo. I got the impression the Alexandria attacks were quite tiny and localized; the Tahrir ones were much larger. The pros surrounded the antis in the square. Sometime during the afternoon or night, the antis built barricades out of doors and I guess whatever else they could find, because the pros were shooting live bullets and hurling Molotov cocktails. Against the antis' ammo of...rocks. Yeah.
I was watching this live, and, just, fuck. I've never seen anything like it. There was at least one person Al Jazeera had on the phone who said they couldn't leave if they wanted to, because there was no way out. They had to stay the night in the square, under siege, men and women and children, all ages.
Egypt's Health Ministry gave numbers of 13 dead, 1,200 injured. And the fight continued during the next day, but it seemed like the focus shifted slightly from attacking protesters to attacking journalists. A number of major news organizations have had people disappear, get arrested, get beaten, or some combination.
And still the Tahrir Square protesters are keeping on. They aren't letting it out of their control. I have never before watched anything like this.
The reason I keep watching is that I want to make absolutely fucking certain that whatever happens doesn't happen in secret. Whether it goes beautifully, or whether everything goes to hell, I want to see it. I want to know that I saw it with my own eyes and that I will never forget it as long as I live.
Live feeds are really hard to find right now. It's not safe for journalists. I'm now getting most new info from Twitter.
Assortment of links. I'm sorry, I can't really write commentary, I feel numb from everything I have been seeing. I'm in information-overload and I'm so scared for these people.
The current livepost at ONTD_P.
The War on the Media in Egypt
Google doc of casualties (27 names right now)
A Guide: How Not To Say Stupid Stuff About Egypt
U.S. Lawmakers Weigh Ending Aid Until Mubarak Out
[eta: One more before I glue myself to AJE again. @Sandmonkey's account of why they're protesting & what's been happening. Heartwrenching & chilling. @Sandmonkey's twitter MAY have been regime-hacked--not sure but I saw a report he can't access it anymore. Who even fucking knows. They've played dirty before.]
As I write, it's 6:30 am in Cairo, 4th of Feb. After Friday prayers, which apparently are at noon, it's meant to be the "Day of Departure." (Mubarak's departure, that is.) Something big will probably happen. I hope to hell it doesn't get ugly, but for fuck's sake, it's already gotten ugly. I don't know what's going to happen.
I'm not sure what location this is, but it gives me hope and so I'm gonna post it.
Muslims, Christians, we are all Egyptians...
Love to you all. ♥ If you have any questions, ask... I have collected a truly insane number of links and might be able to help you out.
Early in the morning (Egypt time) on Feb. 2 in Alexandria, some pro-Mubarak protesters attacked anti-Mubarak protesters. I use the term "pro-Mubarak protesters" extremely loosely, as a stack of evidence points to them being paid to do this. Whether they truly support Mubarak, I couldn't say.
In the afternoon, conflict exploded in Tahrir Square in Cairo. I got the impression the Alexandria attacks were quite tiny and localized; the Tahrir ones were much larger. The pros surrounded the antis in the square. Sometime during the afternoon or night, the antis built barricades out of doors and I guess whatever else they could find, because the pros were shooting live bullets and hurling Molotov cocktails. Against the antis' ammo of...rocks. Yeah.
I was watching this live, and, just, fuck. I've never seen anything like it. There was at least one person Al Jazeera had on the phone who said they couldn't leave if they wanted to, because there was no way out. They had to stay the night in the square, under siege, men and women and children, all ages.
Egypt's Health Ministry gave numbers of 13 dead, 1,200 injured. And the fight continued during the next day, but it seemed like the focus shifted slightly from attacking protesters to attacking journalists. A number of major news organizations have had people disappear, get arrested, get beaten, or some combination.
And still the Tahrir Square protesters are keeping on. They aren't letting it out of their control. I have never before watched anything like this.
The reason I keep watching is that I want to make absolutely fucking certain that whatever happens doesn't happen in secret. Whether it goes beautifully, or whether everything goes to hell, I want to see it. I want to know that I saw it with my own eyes and that I will never forget it as long as I live.
Live feeds are really hard to find right now. It's not safe for journalists. I'm now getting most new info from Twitter.
Assortment of links. I'm sorry, I can't really write commentary, I feel numb from everything I have been seeing. I'm in information-overload and I'm so scared for these people.
The current livepost at ONTD_P.
The War on the Media in Egypt
Google doc of casualties (27 names right now)
A Guide: How Not To Say Stupid Stuff About Egypt
U.S. Lawmakers Weigh Ending Aid Until Mubarak Out
[eta: One more before I glue myself to AJE again. @Sandmonkey's account of why they're protesting & what's been happening. Heartwrenching & chilling. @Sandmonkey's twitter MAY have been regime-hacked--not sure but I saw a report he can't access it anymore. Who even fucking knows. They've played dirty before.]
As I write, it's 6:30 am in Cairo, 4th of Feb. After Friday prayers, which apparently are at noon, it's meant to be the "Day of Departure." (Mubarak's departure, that is.) Something big will probably happen. I hope to hell it doesn't get ugly, but for fuck's sake, it's already gotten ugly. I don't know what's going to happen.
I'm not sure what location this is, but it gives me hope and so I'm gonna post it.
Muslims, Christians, we are all Egyptians...
Love to you all. ♥ If you have any questions, ask... I have collected a truly insane number of links and might be able to help you out.