Mubarak’s pigs are cracking down on the pro-palestinian protesters in downtown Cairo. 240 are reportedly detained in front of the Arab League: around 140 MBs, while the rest are leftists and independents, including Adel el-Mashad, Shahenda Meqled and Salah Adly.
UPDATE: The Center for Socialist Studies has issued a statement:
Hundreds of Egyptian activists have been arrested today (Wednesday 23 January 2008), during their attempts to convene a peaceful demonstration in front of the Arab League in downtown Cairo. The demonstration called for by the Socialist Alliance –a coalition of Leftist organizations and individuals- and joined by Muslim Brotherhood members, was to protest the latest atrocities against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Starting Tuesday evening, Islamist activists were rounded up from their homes and workplaces in different governorates across Egypt, in an effort by the government to abort the demonstration. The arrests included Dr. Magdi Abdo from Cairo –who is under treatment from a recent stroke and his whereabouts are not known yet- Ali Abdel Fattah from Alexandria who is a leading member of the International Campaign Against Zionist and American Occupation.
The arrests and violence reached its climax Wednesday morning when, according to eye-witnesses, subway stations were closed-down and security forces summoned people randomly around the neighborhood. Using tear-gas and mass arrests the state security still did not manage to stop the demonstration scheduled for 11:00 A.M today. However, more than 300 hundred activists were arrested on sight, including veteran Leftist activists, Shahenda Maqlad, Adel El-Mashad, Abdel-Ghaffar Shukr, and Salah Adly.
Heavy security presence and arrests are still doing on in Downtown Cairo, with the number of detainees reaching more than 1000 according to some statements. The exact number is expected to be known tonight or tomorrow morning once the detainees are turned to the General Prosecutor’s office, and more statements are collected from demonstrators. While some of those arrested are in a security camp in Darasah, Cairo, the whereabouts of some are still unknown.
Downtown Cairo
23-1-2008
4:00 PM.
