Egypt's women protest despite brutal military attacks

CAIRO — Several army soldiers slapped, punched and kicked Mona Seif, hitting her with wooden batons while they dragged her inside the Cabinet Building shortly after they raided Tahrir Square.

Minutes earlier she had been told to leave, but she refused unless they released a child she was protecting amid the violence.

"The army officer was infuriated when I told them to release the kid," said Seif, a 25-year-old activist who leads the No Military Trials for Civilians movement. "He ordered the soldiers to take me where they will take the child." A young army officer in charge of the detention room continuously cursed at the female detainees. "I am as old as your mother; have some respect for me," said Khadiga, a woman in her 60s who sat on the floor beside Seif. "The officer exploded when she said that.

He kept slapping her over and over until she apologized," said Seif. "I thought they distinguished between younger and older women. They don't." "It's a planned strategy," she said. "... They want to scare off any girl thinking of joining a protest."

Seif was detained around the same time that footage was taken of several army soldiers stripping and brutalizing another female protester, a video watched by millions worldwide.

This week, thousands of Egyptian women protested in Tahrir Square against military generals who silently watched their soldiers lead assaults on female protesters.

The female protest came despite an apology published on the official Facebook page of the ruling military council, a failed attempt to defuse public anger that backfired. "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces expresses its deepest regret to the great Egyptian women after the violations committed during the latest protests.

The council affirms its respect and appreciation for Egyptian women and their right to demonstrate and participate positively in political life," said the statement. Maha el Samadouni, a 62-year-old female protester, refused to accept any apology. "Our traditions define women as a red line that should never be crossed," she said.

"It's an unprecedented crime in the history of Egypt. The only way to stop this is by making an example of those who committed such a crime." "Women came out wearing black to mourn the dignity of Egyptian women that was killed at the hands of the military," added Samadouni.

She described the ruling military as "liars who denied any responsibility." Despite the shock caused by video images showing horrific assaults by soldiers on protesters, some seemed to have little sympathy for the victims.

"I am totally against violence, yet I don't think it was right for this girl to be on the street at 3 a.m.," said Gen. Sameh Seif el Yazal, a retired military and intelligence officer who now leads a strategic research unit.

But the now-well-known video of the female protester under attack was shot in broad daylight. "Yes, but she was in other videos at 3 a.m. on Tahrir Square," replied Yazal.

Egypt's military, which took over on Feb. 11 to replace the deposed President Hosni Mubarak, did not take long to prove that it is ruthless. On March 9, troops raided Tahrir Square and detained more than 150 protesters, including 17 women.

After a lengthy torture session at the Egyptian Museum, which was turned into a temporary detention center, seven of the female protesters were forced to undergo virginity tests. Only one pursued legal action. "It stems from the culture," said Nehad Abolkomsan, a lawyer and director of the Egyptian Center for Women's Rights.

"People think it's acceptable to do anything to a woman if she goes out of line by their standards. The officers cannot view their female victims as sisters or mothers because of their backward traditions."

"It's a cultural disaster, the same beliefs that justify harassment for sexual violators who blame their victims and say she was wearing tight jeans." Abolkomsan said that Egyptian females are "imprisoned between political pressures and other social and religious taboos.

Some of the most well-known activists don't tell their families about their activities." "The only female that pursued legal action against the military after forced virginity tests was backed by her family, and this is a rare case," said Abolkomsan, referring to Samira Ibrahim, the victim who sued.

"A female protesting in public comes from a background that broke the backward constraints of being ashamed of public participation. On the other hand, the community considers them sluts and the military shares the same view," said Abolkomsan. She rejected the military's apology as "insufficient and useless."

A representative of Human Rights Watch in Egypt, Heba Morayef, argued that "military officers are preaching to soldiers that protesters are criminals destabilizing the country. It shows in the brutal attacks on protesters. It's not an attempt to disperse a protest, but it's a hostile personal attack.

They are filled with rage and hate toward protesters." As for the fair and transparent investigations promised by the military, Morayef said, "We don't know the names of a single officer that is standing trial for any violation, in cases of serious violations such as murder and sexual assault.

It means that the military decides the accusation and the flow of trial without any civilian, independent judiciary participation. "They see themselves as superior," Morayef said.

"They never see themselves as subject to any form of civilian monitoring, investigation or prosecution."

(Sabry is a McClatchy special correspondent.)

Source : McClatchy

A Clear Video For What Happened in Qasr Al Einy Street

this video is shown what happened from the Military Forces in Qasr Al Einy street in front of the all world, in the latest clashes which happened between the Army Forces and the protesters in front of the Egyptian Cabinet

A cameraman flees as Egyptian protesters threw rocks at military police

A cameraman flees as Egyptian protesters threw rocks at military police during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

An Egyptian protester flashes anti-military ruling council banner

An Egyptian protester flashes anti-military ruling council banner, as others throw rocks at military police during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. The Arabic banner reads " over my dead body if the military council rule us and welcome to be a martyer".

Egyptian protesters carry an injured man during clashes

Egyptian protesters carry an injured man during clashes with military police near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian army soldiers beat a protester wearing a Niqab

Egyptian army soldiers beat a protester wearing a Niqab, an Islamic veil, during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. At background graffiti depicts members of the military ruling council and Arabic reads: "Killer".

An Egyptian protester throws a fire bomb at military police inside Parliament building

An Egyptian protester throws a fire bomb at military police inside Parliament building during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian protesters use a metal sheet as a shield

Egyptian protesters use a metal sheet as a shield as they throw rocks at military police, unseen, behind the gates and inside the Parliament building near Cairo's Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. Arabic writing at top reads " Democracy is the guarantee power to people ".

Egyptian protesters threw rocks and firebombs at military police

Egyptian protesters threw rocks and firebombs at military police as another waves a national flag during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian army soldiers clash with rock throwing protesters

Egyptian army soldiers clash with rock throwing protesters near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian army soldiers clash with protesters over the Asr el-Nile

Egyptian army soldiers clash with protesters over the Asr el-Nile bridge near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers swept into Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday, chasing protesters and beating them to the ground with sticks and tossing journalists' TV cameras off of balconies in the second day of a violent crackdown on anti-military protesters that has left eight dead and hundreds injured.

Plainclothes policemen throw stones from the top of a cabinet

Plainclothes policemen throw stones from the top of a cabinet building during clashes with protesters near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 16, 2011. At least two people were killed and 100 wounded in Cairo on Friday as demonstrators fought troops in the worst violence since Egypt began its first free election in six decades. In a pattern that has recurred during nine months of army rule since President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February, the confrontation swiftly grew as more people took to the streets.

An Egyptian protester throws a stone toward soldiers

An Egyptian protester throws a stone toward soldiers, unseen, as a building burns during clashes near Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers swept into Cairo's Tahrir Square on Saturday, chasing protesters and beating them to the ground with sticks and tossing journalists' TV cameras off of balconies in the second day of a violent crackdown on anti-military protesters that has left nine dead and hundreds injured.

A protester wearing a head scarf that reads "Allah is the Greatest"

A protester wearing a head scarf that reads "Allah is the Greatest" throw rocks at army soldiers during clashes near the cabinet near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 16, 2011. At least two people were killed and 100 wounded in Cairo on Friday as demonstrators fought troops in the worst violence since Egypt began its first free election in six decades. In a pattern that has recurred during nine months of army rule since President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February, the confrontation swiftly grew as more people took to the streets.

Egyptian military police use a water cannon against protesters

 

Egyptian military police use a water cannon against protesters during clashes near Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Egyptian soldiers clashed with hundreds of rock-throwing protesters in central Cairo for a second consecutive day on Saturday, in a resurgence of turmoil just days after millions voted in parliamentary elections.

An Egyptian protester covers his head

An Egyptian protester covers his head during clashes with military police near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building.

Egyptian protesters carry an injured fellow protester

Egyptian protesters carry an injured fellow protester during clashes with military police near Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. Egyptian soldiers clashed with hundreds of rock-throwing protesters in central Cairo for a second consecutive day on Saturday, in a resurgence of turmoil just days after millions voted in parliamentary elections.

Supporters of the military rulers of Egypt throw stones

Supporters of the military rulers of Egypt throw stones at opponents demonstrating against the army rule from the roof of the building housing the ministry of transport and communications in central Cairo on December 17, 2011. Clashes between Egyptian security forces and protesters have killed eight people and wounded another 299, the health ministry said in the morning.

Are the Illuminati Behind the Protests in Tahrir Square?

 

After five days of fighting, the major clashes around Tahrir Square ended on Thursday (well, until this happened a couple of hours ago). The army built a six-meter concrete wall on Mohammed Mahmoud street, where most of the fighting had taken place. Some civilians—probably organized by the Muslim Brotherhood—dragged and beat the youth who've been permanently fighting there for the last week out of the road and linked arms, four rows deep, at the entrance to it. So began a week in which Tahrir has been defined by its internal antagonisms as much as its conflict with the authorities.

 

 

The square has become a weird space. The police aren't fighting to retake it, so the people aren't fighting to hold it. Instead, they gather in huddles, chanting or talking politics, while vendors hawk barbecued corn, tea, and giant pink clouds of candyfloss. In fact, most of the violence in the square since November 19—when police killed a protester at a sit-in at the nearby parliament building—has involved these vendors, who have fought turf wars with each other, with local shop-keepers, and with the square's security volunteers. They've brought out bats, petrol bombs, and at least one pistol.

 

 

But for the moment, instead of a battleground, Tahrir is a monument. Even a general from the ruling council called the occupiers "honorable" while condemning those fighting nearby, even though they're largely the same people. Banners showing the dead and wounded are strung across the square, and the tourists are beginning to show up.

 

 

 

The Muslim Brotherhood held an emergency meeting with the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), the interim military government that has held power since July. They agreed to a plan which sees SCAF retain power with the support of a former Mubarak-era prime minister named Kamal Ganzouri, who provides a civilian gloss to a military government. (SCAF Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi is still very much the big dog.) Together with the wall, the impending elections, and the promise that Egypt would have an elected president by July, this has been enough to defuse most of the violence. It's a far cry, however, from the slogan which continues to ring across the square, day and night: “The people want the downfall of the field marshal!” In shutting down the street they claimed as their own in January, the Muslim Brotherhood have become the uneasy allies of the military.

 

 

Nazly Hussein, a media activist, had an encounter with this alliance as she tried to return to Tahrir from Mohammed Mahmoud street on Thursday. She was stopped by a line of men who wouldn't let her pass, including members of the Brotherhood. In the ensuing argument, a man hit her friend Salma.

 

“When she was slapped all hell broke loose and we were beaten up in the street," Salma told me. "I was shot in the knee the Monday before with a rubber bullet. While I was being beaten, some old guy was like 'Slowly, she's hurt in the knee, she's injured,' but the guy who was beating me looked at my knee and started kicking me right there.”

 

 

Nazly walks with a crutch now. There were numerous reports of activists being attacked that day and the next—I saw three women assaulted and chased myself—but the violence subsided thereafter. Nazly believes that the campaign of harassment was orchestrated by the secret police in order to discredit and disrupt the unity of Tahrir. The men who attacked her disappeared soon after.

 

“I've been on the square on days when it was not that comfortable for women to be there. But I've never had the urge to leave the square because it was so uncomfortable. That day was different. It was extremely systematic. It was extremely well organised. And the Brotherhood guys didn't join in, but they watched and did nothing.”

 

 

The belief that the secret police are responsible for much of the tension in the square is widespread amongst activists here. If this sounds like a conspiracy theory, consider that in a police state—which Egypt has been for decades—the state really is run as a giant, official, rubber-stamped conspiracy. The secret police really are ubiquitous, and the atmosphere of paranoia it generates is palpable.

 

 

Meanwhile, pro-government demonstrators at a rally in Abbasiya last week took conspiracy theory to a different level. They believe that the Tahrir protests are inspired by Israel, the Freemasons, and maybe even the Illuminati. I was ejected from a protest in Alexandria myself on the basis that I might be an Israeli spy.

 

 

 

Egypt's first post-Mubarak elections have begun and will almost certainly return huge support for the Muslim Brotherhood. They are insanely well organized, with several activists outside every single polling station, cheerfully flouting the laws against campaigning on election day.

 

Election campaigning on polling day: banned, but ubiquitous

 

But there are three powers in Egypt: The army in its barracks, the Brotherhood at the ballot box, and the revolution on the streets around Tahrir. The elections might bring the former two into alignment, but not the last—at least in the long run. As Khalid Abdalla, an actor, puts it: “Elections have an ability to defuse a tension that's existing right now. People feel like they've done something that represents them.”

 

For now, maybe they do. How long that feeling will last is another question entirely.

All photos and words by Tom Dale.

ٍSource : vice

Protesters clash with riot police along a road which leads to the Interior Ministry

Protesters clash with riot police along a road which leads to the Interior Ministry, near Tahrir Square, in Cairo on November 22, 2011. Egypt's military ruler said today that presidential polls will be held by the end of June, and offered a referendum on the immediate transfer of power in a bid to contain mass anti-military rallies. As news of the statement filtered into Cairo's Tahrir Square, where tens of thousands attended an anti-military rally, protesters began to chant against Tantawi. The Tahrir Square rally came after days of deadly clashes pitting police against protesters demanding democratic change. Sporadic confrontations continued today, with police using batons, tear gas and birdshot against demonstrators.