Day 4 of Protests (cont...): Chaos in the streets, futile suppression...

Friday, January 28, 2011

2:00pm

Chaos in the streets. People have poured into the streets by the thousands. So far the protests are relatively peaceful. Everyone is shouting, clapping, linking arms, waving signs, running from the police, and burning trash in tires in the street to the armoured police trucks from reaching the protesters…

I remember the first information meeting we had with the Study Abroad office in Chicago last fall, when they told us that if we happen to see any demonstrations while in Egypt, we should not participate under any circumstances, or even risk taking pictures. When in Egypt, we are under Egypt’s jurisdiction, and the American Embassy won’t be able to pull us out if we are thrown in jail (and that’s under normal circumstances). Martha Merritt, the principle organizer of our program, also enthused that it would be a unique learning experience to see a demonstration happen while in Egypt. Who would have known…

I asked Amu Ayman why the Egyptian government let Mohamed ElBaradei back into the country if they knew that he was returning to lead demonstrations. Apparently his prominence as a world peace leader gives him enough clout to protect him from being detained. Lenah said, “If they were to arrest him, the city would be in flames.”

Endless footage of police in Tahrir Square, shooting tear gas canisters at protesters on 6^th October bridge. The protesters are throwing the canisters back at the police, as well as rocks. The numbers in the streets seem to be growing. Police are beating everyone with batons. This is a sad day, but an important and exciting day as well.