A massive crowd of tens of thousands calling for the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was gathering in the streets of downtown Cairo yesterday afternoon, making clear they reject promises of reform and a new government offered by the embattled leader trying to hang on to power.
Dozens of tanks and armored personnel carriers were fanned out across the city, guarding key government buildings a day after large, violent confrontations emboldened the movement demanding a change of leadership. There was rampant looting across the sprawling city of 18 million and a growing feeling of fear and insecurity.
In the city’s main Tahrir Square, at the center of the massive demonstration, there was only a light military presence — a few tanks — and soldiers were not intervening. Few police were seen in the crowds and the protest began peacefully, but then police opened fire on some people in the crowd near the interior ministry and a number of them were wounded by gunshots. It was not clear whether they used rubber bullets or live ammunition.
Photo: AFP
One army captain joined the demonstrators, who hoisted him on their shoulders while chanting slogans against Mubarak.
“We don’t want him! We will go after him!” protesters shouted.
The death toll since the anti-government protests began on Tuesday rose to 45, according to medical and security officials, 38 of them killed since Friday. About 2,000 injuries have been reported.
Dozens of military armored personnel carriers and tanks, as well as soldiers on foot, deployed around a number of key government buildings in the capital, including state television and the foreign ministry after thousands of protesters besieged the two offices in Friday’s riots.
The protesters did not appear satisfied with Mubarak’s actions to address the discontent. The president fired his Cabinet late on Friday night and promised reforms, which many doubt he will deliver.
As the protests entered their fifth straight day, the military extended a night curfew imposed on Friday in the three major cities where the worst violence has been seen — Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. State TV reported the curfew would now begin at 4pm and last until 8am.
Internet appeared blocked for a second day to hamper protesters who use social networking sites to organize. And after cellphone service was cut for a day on Friday, two of the country’s major providers were up and running yesterday.
A police crackdown drew harsh criticism from the US. Stepping up the pressure, US President Barack Obama told a news conference he called Mubarak immediately after his TV address and urged the Egyptian leader to take “concrete steps” to expand rights and refrain from violence against protesters.
Several countries — including the US, Taiwan, Australia, Japan, Israel, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Denmark, France and Sweden, have raised travel alerts and warned their citizens to avoid visiting the country.
In case of emergency, Taiwanese travelers in Egypt are advised to contact the Taiwan External Trade Development Council’s branch office in Cairo (Tel: +20-2-24184170/24184941, cellphone: +20-123158206), or Taiwan’s representative offices in Jordan (Tel: +962-6-5931530, cellphone: +962-79-5552605), or Libya (Tel: +218-21-4832158, cellphone: +218-913612769), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
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