Egyptian police clash with protesters in Tahrir square

[News_Editor]

Egyptian police clash with protesters in Tahrir square

2011-06-29 08:12:48 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO (BNO NEWS) -- Egyptian police on early Wednesday fired tear gas to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators as clashes erupted in Tahrir Square between security forces and relatives of those killed during the popular uprising earlier this year, Ahram Online reported.

Hundreds of demonstrators, some of whom threw stones, gathered on Tuesday night in front of the Interior Ministry near Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo and accused the police of killing their sons. According to eyewitnesses, security forces cordoned the area, and fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters.

An Interior Ministry official denied that police attacked protesters and claimed they were thugs. Egyptian TV channels, however, aired live footage of the clashes.

According to Amnesty International, at least 840 people were killed and over 6,000 people were injured in the violent repression that took place during the January uprising. Hosni Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for three decades, stepped down after weeks of anti-government protests, calling for greater democracy and respect of human rights

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-29

[Scott]

Off-topic post deleted: Clue: Egypt

The topic is not about any other Arab country and it is not about Nazis.

[WeeGB]

Watched an interesting programme a couple of days ago, on BBC World News, featuring a discussion with 4 young Egyptian activists. The general view was that little has really changed since the january uprising, and that further demonstrations would be necessary, to prevent Egypt turning into another Islamic Republic, where sharia law was in force. Maybe this is what's happening now, seems the younger generation want real freedom, and are wary of the older generation taking over what they started. Interesting viewing, not sure if it's repeated or not.

[Steely Dan]

Watched an interesting programme a couple of days ago, on BBC World News, featuring a discussion with 4 young Egyptian activists. The general view was that little has really changed since the january uprising, and that further demonstrations would be necessary, to prevent Egypt turning into another Islamic Republic, where sharia law was in force. Maybe this is what's happening now, seems the younger generation want real freedom, and are wary of the older generation taking over what they started. Interesting viewing, not sure if it's repeated or not.

I'm not so certain that the ideological divide between theocrats and democrats is as simple and clear cut as a generational issue. How actually does democracy come into being, do you just remove the autocrat have a vote and the majority forms a 'democratic' government?

When the autocratic Shah of Iran was deposed many women took to the streets to campaign for his removal, I wonder how many regret this action? When you have theology involved you have a battle of faith versus reason and faith is all to ready to use violence and intimidation to prevail. Is reason ready to meet this challenge? I wish I was more hopeful but to me it does not look likely.

[Ulysses G.]

The general view was that little has really changed since the january uprising, and that further demonstrations would be necessary, to prevent Egypt turning into another Islamic Republic, where sharia law was in force.

My guess is that an Islamic Dictatorship is the most likely outcome of these demonstrations, but we can hope not.

[JemJem]

It is a big question mark as to who/what group will hold power in Egypt in the future.

The military is still very strong there.

The Muslim Brotherhood Party is also strong....but whether they will be able to gain enough votes to be in government on their own is a big question mark. I feel that this won't happen but should that happen, this is likely to mean disaster for the Middle East. If the Brotherhood comes to power, it will try hard to provoke Israel and the possibility of a full-blown war with Israel won't be a little one unfortunately.

People of Egypt are mostly secular-leaning so I think (and hope) that the Brotherhood won't come to power there. I think the key will be what kind of party/leader will contest the election as the opponent of the Brotherhood. If a strong party/leader opposes them, then the Brotherhood will surely not come to power. However, if Brotherhood's opponents are divided among themselves, then the votes going to non-Brotherhood parties will be split and this will sadly increase the chance of the Brotherhood coming to power.

For those people who think that Brotherhod will go the way of Turkey's 'Islamist-leaning but sticking-to-secularity' AKP, I will say that they are just dreaming. Brotherhood (the heavy majority of their leaders) aims to bring Sharia law to Egypt and this is no secret.

I am hoping for the best for Egypt but at the same time fearing the worst.

Jem

[Steely Dan]

Jem, I completely agree with your analysis. I read today that the Obama administration is to open formal links with the Muslim brotherhood. I can only put this down to them still clinging to the naive notion that the brotherhood are 'mainly secular' or else are engaging in a damage limitation exercise having realised belatedly the error of their ways, the only other possibility mad though it appears is BHO actually desires Egypt to be an Islamic state.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2011/06/reuters-obama-to-establish-formal-contacts-with-the-muslim-brotherhood.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has decided to resume formal contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, in a step that reflects the Islamist group's growing political weight but that is almost certain to upset Israel and its U.S. backers.

Edited June 30, 2011 by Steely Dan

[JemJem]

It hasn't surprised me ; especially after recent news that the US has had contacts with the Taliban.

Just like you SteelyDan, I also personally don't approve of this kind of stuff but quite many people (even some liberal and anti-fundamentalist folks)are talking about the advantages of such dialogue...so, we shall see.

Jem

Edited June 30, 2011 by JemJem

[kuffki]

Watched an interesting programme a couple of days ago, on BBC World News, featuring a discussion with 4 young Egyptian activists. The general view was that little has really changed since the january uprising, and that further demonstrations would be necessary, to prevent Egypt turning into another Islamic Republic, where sharia law was in force. Maybe this is what's happening now, seems the younger generation want real freedom, and are wary of the older generation taking over what they started. Interesting viewing, not sure if it's repeated or not.

Did you or anyone really think anything was going to change?

Just a little shuffle and everything back to usual, same sh't just different smell.

This is how its been , is and always going to be