Curfew in Egypt after thousands battle police
Source: Agencies |
January 29, 2011, Saturday
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Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak imposed a night curfew and signaled he was about to send the military out in the streets for the first time to quell an unprecedented challenge to his government by tens of thousands of protesters yesterday.
One demonstrator was killed and a Nobel Peace laureate was placed under house arrest after joining the protests.
State television said the curfew would be in force from 6pm to 7am in Cairo, the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria and the flashpoint city of Suez east of the capital. It said the military would work in tandem with the police to enforce the ban.
It was the most drastic measure so far to quell daily riots and protests that began on Tuesday and spiraled into chaos yesterday after noon prayers.
Groups of thousands of protesters, some chanting "out, out, out," defied a ban on any gatherings and turned out at different venues across Cairo, some marching toward major squares and across scenic Nile bridges. Burning tires sent up plumes of black smoke across the cityscape as the sun set.
Security officials said there were protests in at least 11 of the country's 28 provinces.
It was a major escalation in the movement that began on Tuesday to demand the ousting of 82-year-old Mubarak and vent rage at years of government neglect that had led to rampant poverty, unemployment and rising food prices.
Security officials said protesters ransacked the headquarters of Mubarak's ruling party in the cities of Mansoura north of Cairo and Suez. Some of the most serious violence was in Suez, where protesters seized weapons stored in a police station and asked the officers inside to leave the building before they burned it down. They also set ablaze about 20 police trucks parked nearby.
Demonstrators exchanged fire with policemen trying to stop them from storming another station. One protester was killed in the gun battle.
Internet and cell phone services, at least in Cairo, appeared to be largely cut off in the most extreme measure to try to stop protesters from organizing.
"It's time for this government to change," said 22-year-old Amal Ahmed. "I want a better future for me and my family."
The protesters were energized by the return of Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei who had returned to the country on Thursday after a month abroad, declaring he was prepared to lead the opposition to a government change.
When he joined protesters, police fired water cannons at the demonstrators. They used batons to beat some of ElBaradei's supporters.
When he returned home police told him he was not allowed to leave again.
One demonstrator was killed and a Nobel Peace laureate was placed under house arrest after joining the protests.
State television said the curfew would be in force from 6pm to 7am in Cairo, the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria and the flashpoint city of Suez east of the capital. It said the military would work in tandem with the police to enforce the ban.
It was the most drastic measure so far to quell daily riots and protests that began on Tuesday and spiraled into chaos yesterday after noon prayers.
Groups of thousands of protesters, some chanting "out, out, out," defied a ban on any gatherings and turned out at different venues across Cairo, some marching toward major squares and across scenic Nile bridges. Burning tires sent up plumes of black smoke across the cityscape as the sun set.
Security officials said there were protests in at least 11 of the country's 28 provinces.
It was a major escalation in the movement that began on Tuesday to demand the ousting of 82-year-old Mubarak and vent rage at years of government neglect that had led to rampant poverty, unemployment and rising food prices.
Security officials said protesters ransacked the headquarters of Mubarak's ruling party in the cities of Mansoura north of Cairo and Suez. Some of the most serious violence was in Suez, where protesters seized weapons stored in a police station and asked the officers inside to leave the building before they burned it down. They also set ablaze about 20 police trucks parked nearby.
Demonstrators exchanged fire with policemen trying to stop them from storming another station. One protester was killed in the gun battle.
Internet and cell phone services, at least in Cairo, appeared to be largely cut off in the most extreme measure to try to stop protesters from organizing.
"It's time for this government to change," said 22-year-old Amal Ahmed. "I want a better future for me and my family."
The protesters were energized by the return of Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei who had returned to the country on Thursday after a month abroad, declaring he was prepared to lead the opposition to a government change.
When he joined protesters, police fired water cannons at the demonstrators. They used batons to beat some of ElBaradei's supporters.
When he returned home police told him he was not allowed to leave again.
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