'Harsh Police Crackdown' Reported In Egypt
Egyptian protesters demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak and calling for reforms faced riot police in Cairo earlier today (Jan. 26, 2011). Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Egyptian protesters demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak and calling for reforms faced riot police in Cairo earlier today (Jan. 26, 2011).
Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty ImagesCNN's Ben Wedeman just reported there has been a "harsh police crackdown" on protesters today in Egypt, where for the second day in a row people have taken to the streets in anti-government demonstrations.
Indeed, the BBC writes that:
"Police have clashed with anti-government protesters in two major Egyptian cities following Tuesday's unprecedented protests, witnesses say. Police broke up a demonstration in central Cairo, beating protesters with batons. Demonstrators also gathered in the eastern city of Suez. Meanwhile security officials said at least 500 people had been arrested in a crackdown against the protests."
And Al Jazeera adds that:
"Fresh protests over living conditions and an autocratic government have broken out in Cairo a day after large and deadly demonstrations, calling for the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, swept across the country. ...
"On Wednesday evening, thousands of demonstrators were spread throughout downtown Cairo after being dispersed by security forces. Many had gathered on Gelaa Street, near central Tahrir Square — the site of a violent early morning confrontation between security forces and protesters who had been planning to sleep the night in defiance of the government."