Crowds Decry Military Rule, Violence Erupts In Cairo’s Tahrir Square
Gallery by Shadi Rahimi on November 21, 2011
Photo: Shadi Rahimi/Turnstyle News
Civilian members of Egypt’s government have offered to step down after large scale conflicts in Cairo’s Tahrir Square this weekend.
As Egyptian troops attempted to clear the square, protesters resisted and were tear-gassed by soldiers. Rocks were flung back and forth. There are also allegations that live ammunition was used, and it’s being reported that at least 24 people have been killed.
Elections are scheduled a week from Monday, but protesters have long been demanding civilian government rule.
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- As the shooting of tear gas canisters by riot police intensified by mid-afternoon, protestors began picking up pieces of concrete and brick they had broken on the floor to throw back at police. Both sides threw these back and forth.
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- One of the crowd’s chants went something like, “If you are going to turn Egypt into Syria, we will turn it into Libya.” Other chants demanded the ouster of the military regime from interim governing rule.
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- People carried the injured in teams and on motorcycles to safety. Many of the 1,000+ injuries appeared to be from gas inhalation and projectiles including gas canisters and rubber-coated steel bullets. Though official statements claimed live ammunition was not used, reports by doctors who treated those who died said otherwise.
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- These young boys were seated on a wall a half block from the riot police, where they watched the action below. One dropped a stack of wood down to take to the front lines, perhaps for the fire.
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- Many said the type of tear gas used felt more powerful than that used during the Revolution’s early days.
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- Many of the young women and men were working as unofficial medics, splashing solution on tear gassed faces. Other young women were running up to the front with the male protestors, also getting injured.
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- Protestors used a mix of Mucogel with milk or water to alleviate the tear gas effects.
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- As the shooting of tear gas canisters by riot police intensified by mid-afternoon, protestors began picking up pieces of concrete and brick they had broken on the floor to throw back at police. Both sides threw these back and forth.
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