Sunday, November 20, 2011

Brutal police repression in Egypt and California

One Two killed and hundreds injured in worst violence in Egypt since Mubarak ousting

At least one citizen was killed and some 700 others injured in Egypt as police attacked the demonstrators, who demand an end to the military junta, whom they do not trust at all about upcoming elections or human and civil rights, being just some sort of "Mubarak regime light".

The police murder took place in Alexandria, where protests had coalesced around the police headquarters.


Other clashes took place in Cairo after police violently attacked a small peace camp in Tahrir square. Witnesses declared that "Police are telling us they are carrying out orders to beat us until we leave".

The police attack triggered an immediate response by the citizenry,  resulting in lengthy clashes. Police eventually managed to take Tahrir Square itself, six hours later, but the clashes had already spread to all the city and other parts of the country.

Source: Al Jazeera.

Update on Egypt (Nov 20 morning): The number of deaths has risen to two and many people have been shot rubber bullets to the eyes (so they can lose an eye very easily).  More info at Al Jazeera, BBC (photo gallery).

Another video of Tahrir clashes at PO.

Update on Egypt (Nov 20 evening): Clashes continue, with impressive intensity. The People and the uniformed minions of the Junta have gained and lost several times each control of the emblematic plaza. The stand of the Junta is one of extreme intransigence, it's like the last days of Mubarak would be reenacted... but for real. See Al Jazeera and their live blog.

The electoral coalition The Revolution Continues (which gathers the Social Democratic Party, Free Egypt and Revolution Youths) has suspended the electoral campaign and called to go to Tahrir instead (Gara[es]).



Police pepper-spray nonviolent students in California so brutally that many are seriously injured

Pepper sprays may be a less lethal weapon but they can kill as well. And certainly they can cause severe injuries. Many of these UC Davis students were hospitalized. One was coughing blood hours after being sprayed by ruthless and mindless police thugs at a nonviolent protest. 

Moment of the police aggression (browse online for longer videos that show more context):



A detailed account can be found in this open letter by staff demanding the resignation of the campus' chancellor Linda Katehi, who called the police and initially backed their violence unconditionally.

Update on UC Davis (Nov 20 morning): Katehi refuses to resign and is trying to dodge her responsibility by means of an "investigation". There's nothing to investigate: the videos are there for all to see.

More videos of the attack at PO and NC (with discussion).

Update on UC Davis (Nov 20 afternoon):  A huge student protest shamed chancellor Katehi. The demo was apparently spontaneous as it was known that she was holding a press conference. For two hours she hid from view, then she walked out in the middle of a deafening silence. From American Leftist:


More or less everybody expects her to resign at any moment after that.

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