Middle East on fire

reply to post by backinblack


You're being cynical, but in the end that's probably what's going to happen.

Let's just see what happens, shall we? I'm telling you, violence won't solve this, it's the nonviolent and diplomatic actions that are going to bring down Mubarak.

Mubarak has lost control of his country, the abnormality of people not working, not listening to the government, not listening to law, setting up a new government- That's what'll bring him down, not cars burning in the streets and clashes between police and protesters.

reply to post by harryhaller


You clearly know nothing about history...

en.wikipedia.org...

You should read up about nonviolent revolutions.

So you'd rather people revolt in the barbaric way they did 300 years ago, rather than the civilized way they did 30 years ago.

How enlightened of you.
It's this kind of violent, kill em all thought process that cops are using to justify shooting protesters in Egypt right now.

3:58 pm - Our presenter here in the studio Kamal Santamaria describes the events in Egypt as "absolute chaos." That's not an inaccurate description: Footage from the streets of Cairo shows riot police firing tear gas right next to men in civilian dress throwing rocks at the same group of protesters.

AlJazeera says Tens of Thousands hold Anti-Govt. Demonstrations across the whole Nations. "Unpredenced" and Historic"

adamakary LIVE: AlJazeera English Alexandria correspondents: Riot police and protesters appear to sympathize with each other at one protest #jan25

4:03 pm - Al Jazeera's Raywa Rageh, in Alexandria, says around 100 protesters are marching along the city's coastal highway chanting "illegitimate!" She has heard of 10 scattered protests around the Mediterranean port.

4:09 pm - Al Jazeera Arabic reports that around 15,000 people are protesting in Luxor, a major tourist destination in southern Egypt. We're not able to confirm reliable crowd numbers at this point, especially in Cairo, where protesters have been dispersed all over the capital.

"Cairo is pretty much a Warzone right now. No matter what happens,Mubarak has to step down now,there is no alternative,no turning back anymore" says Al Jazeera

4:13 pm - It's incredible to watch the scene being played out in downtown Cairo on television right now. Protesters have gathered in front of the Ramses Hilton hotel, while around a hundred meters away, police continually fire barrages of tear gas at them. The Ramses Hilton is one of the most posh hotels in the entire country, where Egypt's wealthy and foreign tourists sleep, eat, and drink in rooms the average Egyptian citizen could never dream of affording.

Demonstrations at Embassy in London

2.19pm: The protesters are in control of the central square in Suez says al-Jazeera. There is no police presence. Jamal Elshayyal, their reporter in Suez, says:

The police has been quite comprehensively defeated by the power of the people.

1424 GMT: Al Jazeera Arabic reporting now that protesters have taken control of streets in the strategic town of Suez and burnt at least three armoured vehicles.

Jordan:

1427 GMT: As protests continue in Egypt, at thousands also took to streets in Jordan to demand the ouster of the government there. The Canadian Press reports:


3,500 opposition activists from Jordan's main Islamist opposition group, trade unions and leftist organizations gathered in Amman's downtown, waving colorful banners reading: "Send the corrupt guys to court." The crowd denounced Prime Minister Samir Rifai's unpopular policies. Many shouted: "Rifai go away, prices are on fire and so are the Jordanians."

Another 2,500 people also took to the streets in six other cities across the country after the noon prayers. Those protests also called for Rifai's ouster.

This is the third time in as many weeks that Jordanians have taken to streets to demand the resignation of Rifai.

1431 GMT: Al Jazeera now reporting that at least one protester has been killed in Suez.

Update:

2.37pm: Reuters is reporting the death of protester in Suez:

Egyptians carried the body of a protester through Suez on Friday after clashes with police who withdrew from central areas of the eastern city leaving some main streets to demonstrators, a Reuters witness said. "They have killed my brother," shouted one of the demonstrators.

:-(

Summary of the Events in Alexandria so far:

2.32pm: Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director of Human Rights Watch, gives this detailed account of how police overwhelmed protesters in Alexandria today.

After prayers, the protesters came out of a mosque and started shouting slogans. They were saying "peaceful, peaceful" and raising their hands. They were immediately attacked by police in an armoured car firing teargas. Fierce clashes started then, with exchanges of rock throwing. About 200 police faced about 1,000 protesters. The clashes lasted for nearly two hours. Then a much larger crowd of protesters came from another direction. They were packed in four blocks deep. Police tried to hold them back with teargas and rubber bullets, but they were finally overwhelmed.

Then the police just gave up, at about the time of afternoon prayers. Protesters gave water to police and talked to them. It was was all peaceful. Hundreds of protesters were praying in the street.

Now walking down to downtown Alexandria, the whole road is packed as far as we can see, people shouting slogans against [Hosni] Mubarak and his son Gamal. Asking others to join them. It is a very festive atmosphere. Women in veils, old men, children, I even saw a blind man being led. And there are no police anywhere.

1436 GMT: We cannot confirm yet, but news reports suggest that the ruling NDP party's headquarters in Dumyat has been burnt down by protesters.

Confirmed:

1441 GMT: Al Jazeera confirms that protesters have burnt down the ruling NDP party's headquarters in Dumyat.

2.39pm: Egyptian security officials say Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei is under house arrest.

4:36 pm - Suez remains the day's biggest flashpoint. Crowds look enormous there, and at least one person has reportedly died, his body carried through the street by protesters, according to Al Jazeera's Jamal Elshayyal.

1440 GMT: Al Arabiya and other sources are claiming that the situation on 6th October Bridge in Cairo is still tense. People are still trying to wrest control of the key juncture from police and there are reports of a large fire.

2.48pm: The NDP headquarters in Dumya/Daniette, 131 miles north-east of Cairo, and Al Mansoura, 120km north-east of Cairohave both been destroyed, according to the Egyptian Association for Change.

1447 GMT: Rawza Regeh says it appears that security forces in Alexandria have lost contact with their commanders; she has not seen a single senior officer on the scene. Regeh says at least six police vehicles have been burnt by demonstrators.

It pretty much has escalated beyond imagination,the Amount of Protestors increases by the Minute,Police are beeing pushed back and losing or/and joining with the Protestors.


No official Statement from Washington yet.

2.50pm: Rawya Rageh, for al-Jazeera, says she has seen evidence of a protester killed in Alexandria, a bloody body being held aloft through the streets with people chanting "There is no God but God". She adds that police have now been overrun by protesters in the city.

2.53pm: Protesters have named the man killed in Suez (2.37pm) have named him as Hamada Labib, 30, a driver. They blamed his death on a gunshot, reports Reuters. It adds:

Egyptian police abandoned central areas of the industrial port city after demonstrations in which thousands of protesters overwhelmed security lines and torched a police station, a Reuters witness said. Police had tried to disperse the protesters, who hurled stones and chanted for the end to President Hosni Mubarak's rule. But they were unable to contain them and moved back, abandoning at least eight big police trucks. Protesters smashed the windows and tried to flip one of the trucks over. Hundreds of members of security forces had gathered in a large group around the governors offence, where there was no sign of protesters

1458 GMT: Al Jazeera reports that "thousands" are protesting in front of Dahaqliya Governate offices in Mansoura in northeastern Egypt. Security forces not intervening.

Vitchilo has alot to read when he gets back

Al Jazeera just showed live video of military with protesters in Alexandria. The protesters cheered, and are looking to military for help.
Al Jazeera Live

1500 GMT: Al Arabiya reports that protesters have stormed the ruling party NDP's offices in Tanta, Egypt's 5th-largest city, 60 miles north of Cairo.

1504 GMT: Rawza Regeh in Alexandria for Al Jazeera, "The skyline is on fire from burning vehicles....I saw demonstrators carrying a bloodied body and chanting, 'There is no God but God.'"

3.03pm: The International Crisis Group has condemned the detention of Mohamed ElBaradei, who serves on Crisis Group's board of trustees, and the violence against the demonstrators:
Crisis Group President Louise Arbour said:

His detention has no credible basis. It also will not serve Egypt's interests at this critical juncture. In a situation as tense as this, repression and abuse can only further inflame the situation. Rather than resort to repression, the authorities should heed demands of the population for dramatic political, social and economic transformation.

THIS COULD GET HUGE!

1506 GMT: Al Jazeera Army has live shots of an Egyptian Army armoured vehicle coming near 6 October Bridge. Protesters have run up to greet the soldiers enthusiastically.

THIS COULD MEAN THE ARMY IS BEEING DEPLOYED IN CAIRO AND HELPING THE PROTESTORS,STILL UNCONFIRMED!

evanchill FLASH from Cairo: AJE footage shows a personnel carrier entering Gelaa Street near Tahrir Square, greeted by protesters. Maybe army. #jan25

3.05pm: Egyptian protesters in Cairo are calling for the army to side with them against the police, Reuters reports:

Egyptian protesters in Cairo chanted slogans calling for the army to support them, complaining of police violence during clashes on Friday in which security forces fired teargas and rubber bullets. "Where is the army? Come and see what the police is doing to us. We want the army. We want the army," the protesters in one area of central Cairo shouted, shortly before police fired teargas on them.

5:03 pm - Al Jazeera's Rawya Rageh reports some extraordinary events in Alexandria: Protesters, who often outnumber police, have "arrested" police officers and beat some of them with their own batons. Police without their gear are left alone, those in their gear are confronted. Protesters are also setting security vehicles on fire

1509 GMT: Al Arabiya claims that Syrian authorities have suspended all Internet services.

Now Syria?

1513 GMT: A stream of reports that, in the battle for Cairo's bridges, protesters have taken Galaa Bridge from police, burning and destroying police posts.

3.17pm: A second police station has been taken over by protesters in Suez, reports al-Jazeera.

1520 GMT: Al Jazeera and AFP are reporting that protestors have set Alexandria City Hall on fire.
Isra Jaheed, a spokeswoman for Mohamed ElBaradei, claims, "There are 100,000 protesters in front of Al Mansoura Governate office" in northeast Egypt.

Police´s are withdrawing more and more,underestimated the People.

Yemen too

Tens of thousands of people in Yemen have taken to the streets in the country's capital, calling for an end to the government of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president.

Inspired by recent events in Tunisia and Egypt, opposition members and youth activists rallied at four different locations in Sanaa on Thursday, chanting for Saleh, who has been in power for 32 years, to step dow

Still unclear what side military will take in Egypt. The coming hours will decide whether this becomes a bloodbath, or the end of Mubarak.

TURN ON CNN!!!! SHOWING LIVE VIDEO OF PROTESTERS BATTLING POLICE!

Ben Wedeman has got some live stream on the streets of Cairo, not saying how he's doing it (thank goodness)

ETA: protesters are running INTO the tear gas! I hope, come the revolution, I can be so brave.


[Edited to change "army" to "police" as per other poster's request]

reply to post by stephinrazin


If the Army helps the Protestors,then its pretty much over for Mubarak...

If you get more Infos on other Hotspots in the Middle-East,please post...i do everything i can just to cover Egypt atm.

Originally posted by 00nunya00
TURN ON CNN!!!! SHOWING LIVE VIDEO OF PROTESTERS BATTLING ARMY!

Ben Wedeman has got some live stream on the streets of Cairo, not saying how he's doing it (thank goodness)

ETA: protesters are running INTO the tear gas! I hope, come the revolution, I can be so brave.

edit on 28-1-2011 by 00nunya00 because: (no reason given)

Thats the Riot Police,not the Army,please change that.


The Govt. issued a Curfew...seems like they are getting more scared by the Minute.



State Security has entered Building where Al Jazeera is Broadcasting from!

Cairo: State security taking over building Al jazeera videoing from, and stopping live feeds.

reply to post by Shenon


My bad. I see army vehicles, I just say "army."

CNN is breaking away to cover other headlines for a minute or two, but they keep coming back to Wedeman's live feed.

13 hour curfew declared, for Egypt. Starts in 30 minutes.
-CNN

3.26pm: Protesters are in control of most streets in Alexandria, says al-Jazeera.

3.30pm: Egyptian state media is reporting a curfew starting at 6pm tonight (about 30 minutes away) and running until 7am tomorrow in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez.
The way it's looking on the streets at the moment suggests there is little chance of people obeying the order and what can the police actually do to enforce it.

Stupid and useless.

1534 GMT: With an apparent cease-fire in place, protesters pray in the middle of 6 October Bridge in Cairo.

1530 GMT: Live images from Al Jazeera --- a protester is approaching the riot police near 6 October Bridge in Cairo so they can organise a "cease-fire" for a prayer.

State security has just entered Al Jazeera's building, which has other media.

1527 GMT: State television is reporting a curfew from 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) until 7 a.m. in Cairo, Alexandria, Hilwan, and Suez.

1524 GMT: Latest reports from Cairo are that protesters are pushing back security officials in Abdel Menem Riyad Square and downtown.

Al Jazeera English is carrying live footage from outside their window, which is near 6 October Bridge, of the running battle between police --- using stun grenades and tear gas --- and protesters.

Reports claim, "Not a single security officer left in Alexandria", with up to 500,000 protesters forcing them out. Al Jazeera has reported arrests of the police who did not pull out.

1536 GMT: A resident of Damascus sends a message that Al Arabiya's report of a suspension of Internet services by Syrian authorities is false.

Hm

reply to post by Shenon


Just to clarify for everyone, who's in control right now? I know there are reports of no army being around in some places, and police in other places, but clearly there's patrols of some sort all around. Can we clarify for our audience (and myself, LOL) what the security situation is right now? It's basically rioters in control everywhere right now, right? With some police forces still on patrol, and special forces in the biggest protest areas, but seemingly no army anywhere?

Some Links to Live Updates:

www.guardian.co.uk...
blogs.aljazeera.net...
www.enduringamerica.com...


Live Stream Al Jazeera English:
english.aljazeera.net...


Someone please continue the Updates,i nead a little Break

Jordan

Thousands of people in Jordan have taken to the streets in protests, demanding the country's prime minister step down, and the government curb rising prices, inflation and unemployment.

In the third consecutive Friday of protests, about 3,500 opposition activists from Jordan's main Islamist opposition group, trade unions and leftist organisations gathered in the capital, waving colourful banners reading: "Send the corrupt guys to court".

The crowd denounced Samir Rifai's, the prime minister, and his unpopular policies.

Many shouted: "Rifai go away, prices are on fire and so are the Jordanians.''

Another 2,500 people also took to the streets in six other cities across the country after the noon prayers. Those protests also called for Rifai's ouster.

Originally posted by 00nunya00
reply to post by Shenon

 

Just to clarify for everyone, who's in control right now? I know there are reports of no army being around in some places, and police in other places, but clearly there's patrols of some sort all around. Can we clarify for our audience (and myself, LOL) what the security situation is right now? It's basically rioters in control everywhere right now, right? With some police forces still on patrol, and special forces in the biggest protest areas, but seemingly no army anywhere?

Yes,Riot Police,but they are losing and Alexandria seems to be already beeing taken over by the Protestors.

The Army has not beeing deployed yet,we saw only one Army Vehicle with was greeted by the Protestors. This could change any Minute,and which Side they are going to be on would decide the outcome of this.

reply to post by Shenon


Will do. Also, there's:

LebanonNow
Haaretz
Naharnet

ETA: Update on the army:

AFP: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak asks army to take charge of security, with police

philipaklein RT @wonkroom: CNN International reporting Egyptian president Mubarak will deliver address in 10 minutes #egypt 7 seconds ago · reply