Friday, January 28, 2011

Third Day of Revolts in Egypt - 3

Facebook got blocked today ... violent clashes in elharam street, Giza, with ppl flooding from poor areas to protest.

Friday is expected to be a day of mass protests ... I hope the media focuses on other cities besides Cairo, especially Suez where live ammunition was used against demonstrators leaving at least 4 dead.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Third Day of Revolts in Egypt

According to AlJazeera, protests also spread to Ismailia.

Third Day of Revolts in Egypt

This is an excellent video from almasryalyoum from Tahrir Square on Tuesday. It shows the day turning from peaceful protests to police violence. Towards the end you can hear injured protesters saying: this is terrorism. They are killing us.

Second day of revolts

The second day was yesterday of course, but the internet connection was down and I couldn't access blogger or youtube. I took some photos yesterday, the rest of the time I was watching attacks and abductions in distress.

I arrived in the early morning in downtown, and even from my room I could feel the awful business as usual with cars honking incessantly, as if the 25th of January hasn't been only the day before. I wandered a heavily policed Tahrir Square, a few hours after thousands were spending their night in hopes for the regime to topple. Trying to gather any info on marches. I kept chasing them down until I found a group of around 200 journalists in front of the syndicate as you can see from my recent feed. The numbers increased and there was heavy media presence, so I reckoned it was the only gathering so far. How sad that we're back on the excluded steps of the syndicate, Cairo's Hyde Park. Luckily, I proved to be wrong. Within minutes another group was chanting outside the cordon and the police closed the street to cars and pedestrians. They started to abduct people from the other protest, with the help of thugs. It was awful. We saw people dragged, journalists or not, old and young, including prominent journalist Mohammad Abdul Quddos. We could only scream, cry, or watch in horror. Apparently more people were gathering in nearby areas and soon enough we saw scores of trucks and soldiers in the distance. All our attempts to break security cordon failed and up to the point where I left 10 people were abducted.

On the main street it was chaotic, people rushed from Boulaq abul Ela choking on tear gas and I could see black smoke. Later it was revealed violent clashes took place in the poor neighbourhood and continued throughout the night, resulting in two more deaths, one of them a policeman, which leaves six dead officially so far. In Suez, they opened fire on protesters, that's how they died.

The Tunisian revolution has made it clear to Egyptians that only massive waves of anger will bring down an oppressive regime. We have all seen a dictator fall down who has actually provided better pay and education to his people than has ours. We have a thousand reasons to revolt; poverty, brutality, persecution, oppression, high unemployment rates, low wages, poor health services to name a few.

Twitter remains blocked but those who have access through other applications are spreading the word on protests in Abbassia and Helwan now. Tomorrow is also expected to be a bloody day after Friday prayers...by 40% of the Egyptian population who are below poverty line and have nothing to lose.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

لقيت حمامة,‏ ‏6‏ تقريبا معتقلين.‏ ماحدش ييجي عشان مجهزين بلطجية برة‏ الكردون
2‏ كمان اتاخدوا
شالوا إحسان عبد القدوس
الوضع أمام النقابة سئ للغاية اعتقال ‏3‏ منهم رجل مسن وضرب متظاهرين
some scuffles and abdelkhalik tharwat st closed. Hundreds of passersby watchhng
we tried 2 break cordon twice ihsan abdul qudoos on the ground

URGENT: PLEASE FIND HAMAMA

Update: Found safe
---
mohamad ahmad hamama was on the phone with me fearing abduction from mansnura univ now can't reach him
we received news that facebook got blocked. Number now may be 300
numbers increasing in front of press syndiate and heavy press coverage
protest now of almost 200 journalists in front of press syndicate
i'm in downtown. Will look for anyone still protesting and try to update. If u know a place pls tell me in a comment. Can't access twitter

Second Day of Revolts in Egypt - 1

According to Rassd network on Facebook, people are regrouping in Tahrir. I cannot confirm whether this is true or not, but I urge everyone to head to downtown now, preferably in groups.

Egypt revolts update - 9

According to @monasosh on blocked Twitter, police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stunt grenades (?). There are at least three injuries. However, protesters are not backing down.

Urgent Egypt Revolts Update - 8

POLICE STARTED TO DISPERSE TAHRIR SIT-IN. Follow Justicentric, one of the few who seems to be able to acces twitter http://proxite.eu/browse.php?u=Oi8vdHdpdHRlci5jb20vanVzdGljZW50cmlj&b=5

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Urgent Egypt Revolts Update - 7

Habib AlAdly Minister of Interior has reportedly threatened clearly to open fire on protesters. Given his history of torture and abuse of innocent people, we should all take this piece of news absolutely seriously, by JOINING FORCES.

Egypt revolts update - 6

A message on FB: we are thousands spending the night in Tahrir square tonight. Please come and join us and please tell media to come during the night and film so that we do not get beaten by the police

أحنا آلاف موجودين الان في ميدان التحرير وسنبقى في الميدان الليلة
الرجاء تأتوا وتبقوا معانا وياريت الاعلام والمصورين خصوصا في منتصف الليل
عشان الشرطة متضربناش

Egypt revolts update - 5

The Ministry of Interior has announced it will disperse protesters in Tahrir AT ANY PRICE. Insert water cannons, tear gas, beatings, live ammunition here!

I hope the whole world is witness to this massacre which has so far left two armless protesters dead and to the determination and heroism of the Egyptian people!

Egypt revolts update - 4

The everlastingly stupid Ministry of Interior issued a brain fart of a statement. According to them, the protest was peaceful and they were committed to protecting until, lo, the Muslim Brotherhood somewhat sneaked in and started the riots!

The Muslim Brotherhood have already stated that they're NOT joining the protests. You cannot tell for sure whether a protester is a MB or not. Only one MB leader has spotted so far. As usual then, the government is trying to wage its own war on its most bitter oponents + trying to find an excuse to attack protesters, which is probably happening as I write.

Egypt revolts update

The motherfreaking spokesperson of the Minsitry of Foreign Affairs Hossam Zaki is claiming on CNN that no, darlings, this is not a revolution. 10000 in Tahrir Square cannot be compared to millions of Egyptians. He also claims a policeman died, which as far as I know is not true.

What he is not telling you is how brutal Egyptian police are which prohibits those millions from joining!

Egypt revolts update

Al-Haya TV reports TWO, not one, dead in Suez. Soliman Saber Ali, 31, and Mostafa Reda Abdelfattah, 20. The injuries haven't still been identified.
FUCK YOU EGYPT POLICE!

Egypt revolts update

A day of massive, unprecedented protests since 1977 to some estimates, is drawing to an end. So far, Almasry Alyoum reports one young man dead in Suez. The pigs fired tear gas in the small gulf city and Mustafa Rida Mahmoud choked to death. Right now it is 9:23 pm in Cairo. Most of the updates came via twitter, so naturally the government blocked it at around 4:45 pm. Since then I have been largely clueless, but thousands are planning to spend the night in Tahrir Square, Cairo and possibly elsewhere in Mansoura and Alexandria. I highly doubt the police will allow them.

In any case, the protests surpassed everyone's expectations, even the police were clearly shaken at the numbers and determination of the people. This is in itself a huge success. If the protests hang on, the regime is sure to fall. We're counting on how violent the police will deal with this. We'll see.

The Guardian updates: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2011/jan/25/middleeast-tunisia

Saturday, January 22, 2011

دليل المتظاهرين يوم خمسة وعشرين

نصيحة مجربة:
الاستعداد الجسدي:
  1. الفطار يبقى فول عشان تعرفوا تصمدوا، مش بهزر
  2. إشربوا عصير قبل ما توصلوا للمكان
  3. خلوا معاكوا علبة عصير وإزازة مياة كبيرة (ليك وللي حواليك) وبرفان أو سبراي لو قدرتوا تشيلوا
  4. الموبايلات أو الكاميرات تبقى رخيصة
  5. لو عايز تصور وعندك موبايلين خبي واحد وحط فيه الكارت والتاني صور بيه
  6. بلاش تصور الظباط بدون داعي، احنا حافظين وشوشهم
  7. ماتتكلمش مع الظباط وماتردش على محاولات استفزاز ع الفاضي
  8. إلبسوا تقيل
  9. البنات يلبسوا جواكت طويلة وبناطيل وكوتشي عشان لو في جري
الاستعداد النفسي:
لا تشاؤم ولا تفاؤل ... يوم 25 مش ثورة، لكنها مظاهرات اتفق عليها المئات لأهداف محددة ممكن تتحقق وممكن لأ، وعموماً هانفضل نقرف النظام لحد ما يغور أو على الأقل ينفذها
احتمال ضئيل الأمن ياخد تعليمات بالتهدئة ويسيبوا المسيرات والموضوع يتطور، والاحتمال الأكبر إن المجموعات تتكردن وساعتين واليوم يخلص
حتى لو رجعتوا بخفي حنين ... إنتوا حاولتوا ... ولسة هاتحولوا تاني ... معلش بقى أصلهم لازقين بغرا

إفرجــــها يااااااا رب

Saturday, January 15, 2011

The Tunisian Revloution Twitter Feed

VIVAAAAAA LA REVOLUCIOOOON!
Since twitter has by far excelled in providing us with news and opinion on the brilliant Tunisian revolution, I thought of collecting some tweets which sums up the day (the timeline is only approximate);

11 am: alihabibi1: Tunis now: protesters are from all ages and social classes! Amazing!

11 am: bataleh: Thank u #SidiBouzid رخصتولنا سعر البندورة و البنزين , a friends status on FB #AngryJordan

12 pm: GabyVerdier: if I say #benali & #mubarak u're foutu, it means screwed up, finished, over

3 pm: al_tariq2009: #sidibouzid كأني أنظر لطغاة العرب وهم يرتعدون خوفا من المصير المحتوم على يد أحرار تونس ،
تقدموا يا أحرار فإن دولة الظلم أضعف مما تبدو عليه

أنا: بنت عمي عندها 18 سنة: احنا حانفضل نطالب بحقنا لازم نحط حد للي بيحصل =) ده الجيل اللي هيربيك يا جيمي4 pm:

5 pm: @a_monem: لا تؤجل عمل اليوم الى 2014 #sidibouzid #BenAli #tunisia #tunisie

7 pm: Me:
يا رب النصر لأحفاد أبو القاسم الشابي!

7 pm: Me: YEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS VIVA LA REVOLUCIONNNNNNN TUNISIENNEEE #sidibouzid

7pm: Ghafari: الجزيرة تعلن لحظة تاريخية: إزاحة اول دكتاتور عربي بقوة الشعب

7 pm: oshaokhtmeligi: الى كل الاخوة التوانسة في الداخل والخارج، انتم استحققتم الانتصار، انتم فخر لنا، وستكون دماء شهدائكم شعلة تضيء طريقنا

8 pm:
Palaestina: the dictator fled :D long live Tunisia, long live the Revolution

8 pm: Me: So sad for the martyrs who never got to taste the fruit of their pain :( #sidibouzid

8 pm:
masryXfaransa: لاعجب أن ـ إذا الشعب يوماً أراد الحياة،فلابد أن يستجيب القدر ـ تونسية، أني أبكي فرحاً لكم ، وأتمني أن يستجيب القدر لنا يوما في مصر
8 pm: studentactivism: Yesterday Ben Ali said he was staying on as Tunisia's president until 2014. Today he was out before 20:14.

8 pm:
JawazSafar:
عربة خضار تطيح ب23 عام من الدكتاتورية


8 pm: HosamRadwan يبقى الإجابة طلعت صح: تووووونس

8 pm:
Dima_Khatib: Remember it has been 29 days of daily protests in all of Tunisia

8 pm:
@Sarahcarr: The Swine Flew

8 pm: Ahmed_Matar طفح الليل .. وماذا غير نور الفجر بعد الظلمات؟

9pm:
@Galrahn: I just watched a government fall on Twitter while #CNN interviewed the Jeopardy host about a robot contestant.

10 pm:
DanyAwad: القبض عن صهر بن علي واقارب آخرين - العربية

10 pm:
gamaleid: أخر نكتة : بن على يتصل بالرئيس مبارك ، ومبارك بيكنسل عليه

11 pm:
linuxscout من التالي؟