There were several demonstrations across Cairo yesterday, demanding justice for Khaled Mohamed Said and for his assassins to be judged - all the way up to the Minister of Interior, Habib El Adly. As one of the slogans chanted said--
"If that were Israel (or anywhere else, for that matter), El Adly's head would be gone"
Not in Egypt. Not when, as, once again, people chanted, the main purpose of the Police's existence is to protect the regime from the people.
"If that were Israel (or anywhere else, for that matter), El Adly's head would be gone"
Not in Egypt. Not when, as, once again, people chanted, the main purpose of the Police's existence is to protect the regime from the people.
Said police arrested more than 30 people from the demonstration at Lazoghly square. Other demos in Cairo were in Tahrir square, Talaat Harb Square, and by the General Attorney's office; as well as a demo in Alexandria, where Khaled's murder took place.
The way they arrested people was to run and grab people from the edges of the group - exactly the way vultures behave in the wild, preying on a group's weaker extremities.
Pathetic.
I tried to document the demo as well as I could; not very easy since the police was actually picking the the photographers and arresting them, at times simply grabbing the cameras.
So, below:
I livestreamed a little bit of the demo; the live clips are recorded here.
The videos I took are on Youtube. Took bloody forever to upload!
The photo set is on Flickr; it's also on Facebook (for that matter - are we Facebook friends yet?).
The way they arrested people was to run and grab people from the edges of the group - exactly the way vultures behave in the wild, preying on a group's weaker extremities.
Pathetic.
I tried to document the demo as well as I could; not very easy since the police was actually picking the the photographers and arresting them, at times simply grabbing the cameras.
So, below:
I livestreamed a little bit of the demo; the live clips are recorded here.
The videos I took are on Youtube. Took bloody forever to upload!
The photo set is on Flickr; it's also on Facebook (for that matter - are we Facebook friends yet?).
8 comments:
excellent pictures Mohamed. How'd you get so close to the police? When there are Central Security trucks parked in front of my university, the place is crawling with plain clothes informers telling us to move away, particularly when there is a demonstration.
I remember about 2 years ago I was walking past the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square with a big duffel bag that had my clothes and personal items in it. I was walking to the metro station to take it to my loq budget hotel in Attaba. Next to the museum, one of the plain clothes thugs told me to open my bag. I protested that I wasn't going into the museum and was just passing, but he asked me to open it anyway. I complied and he didn't really do anything besides take a quick look from far away. I was really pissed off about it and in retrospect, wondered what would have happened if I had said no and asked to see an officer at the museum to complain about this guy who was searching me without permission. I guess it would have been a bad idea. A lot of us, me being the first of them, have been turned into docile sheep, too afraid to protest lest we suffer Khaled's fate. It makes me sad that I've been turned into such a coward, but it's this culture of fear we've been raised in our whole lives that has made us this way. I wish not so many people were like me - from the looks of these pics, there are people who are willing to speak up -that is good.
One odd thing is that Ayman Nour is becoming increasingly vocal and visible these days, while Elbaradei seems to be nowhere in sight - I guess that says a lot about the latter.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks! Well I got so close because.. I was inside the demo. :) And we were being squeezed by the soldiers so we literally sandwiched between rows of soldiers..
One day I was asked by a soldier in civilian to show my ID - I asked him to show me his, since "I wasn't going to show my ID to the first dude on the street". He was so shocked he actually showed me his ID. :)
Re: Baradei: very good point. I hadn't noticed that he didn't say anything throughout this whole crisis. I also said that I've been waiting for El Baradei to take a stand on something and really get into the political game - I'm tired of waiting.
Mohamed, riveting footage and photos. I felt a little comforted by the photo where a demonstrator shared water with a soldier, although I realized at the same time that I was probably reading too much into that moment. I'm not sure I agree with the "Apathetic" titles of the photos showing people watching from the balcony and rooftop. If they stopped what they're doing and are interested enough to watch the event, they may be more than just idly curious. They may want to learn more about the situation, and/or may be understandably concerned for their safety. Which reminds me - take care, and be well.
Mohammad, I'm truly sad for this young man death but I'm pretty happy to see this story getting a momentum.
Man, it seems that Egypt has got more undercover units than Israel.
Welcome back, Khaled!
Hahaha.. We just may, yeah. :)
Is it just me, or are most of the policemen small teenagers?
Anyways, I glad that this story is getting out and that you're safe and sound.
John
@Meadows -
Sorry for the late response. Reply is in your mailbox.
@John -
You're right, most recruits are quite young. The officers, hiding behind them, are career torturers.. ehhh... police officers.
Bravo Aleku !
Your voice was heard in France : http://www.rue89.com/2010/06/24/egypte-khaled-said-martyr-et-symbole-de-letat-durgence-156282
c'est pas tous les jours...
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