WATANI International
15 May 2011
Saturday 14 May evening a group of thugs attacked the Maspero protestors from above the 6th October overpass, firing gunshots in the air to spread terror. Father Filopateer Gamil, one of leaders of the Maspero protest told Watani, before communication with him was interrupted، that the attack began around 7:30pm. At the scene of events, Watani witnessed gunshot, Molotov cocktails, and stones hurled at the demonstrators from above the flyover. Twenty five were injured and a number of the protestors’ cars were burnt. Some time later the army intervened with tear bombs to disperse both groups—the attackers and the protestors.
The identity of the attackers was bot known, since no one or group claimed responsibility for the attack. In an open guessing game, some at Maspero thought the attackers may have been paid to do so by persons who belonged to the pre-Revolution regime, others thought the perpetrators may have been the traders in the vicinity on account of their halted activity, while yet others believed it was the army who recruited thugs to do the dirty work for them. The purpose, of course, was to put an end to the almost week-long sit-in with no end in sight. But the protestors stood their ground.
Sunday morning saw busloads of more Coptic protestors pour into Maspero, arriving from various places in Cairo and Egypt.
According to Dr George Sidqi who is in charge of the Maspero field clinic set up by the protestors, 140 people were injured until Sunday morning, among whom 19 Muslims who had joined the Copts in their protest. According to figures by thr Health Ministry, 78 cases were hospitalised with bone fractures and injuries due to rubber bullets and gunshot.
Anglius Fouad of the Maspero Youth’s’ ‘Discipline Committee’ told Watani that some of those who were moved to hospitals were later arrested. He pointed out that two out of twenty injured who were moved to the Coptic Hospital were arrested without issuing any legal report against them.
Also on Sunday morning, Pope Shenouda III issued a statement in which he called on the Maspero protestors to immediately end their sit-in, explaining that people with different intentions and have now ‘lurked’ within the protestors## ranks. “This is very harmful to Egypt’s image and to your image as well,” said Pope Shenouda addressing the Maspero protestors. “The rulers’ patience has run out. You stand to lose if you carry on with your sit in,” concluded the pope.
On its part the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) denounced the ‘barbaric attack’ on Maspero’s Coptic and Muslim protestors at the hands of hundreds of thugs and which resulted in dozens of injured. The NCHR described what happened as a ‘serious situation’ which aims to disrupt Egypt’s security and stability. According to the NCHR, thugs are taking advantage of the ‘lax government’ which does not react to incidents according to their proportionate weight and implications. The NCHR also denounced the shortcomings of the security apparatus since 25 January. The NCHR expressed astonishment at the failure of Security to stop the thugs from reaching Maspero in the first place—which could have prevented the clashes altogether. It warned of the repercussions of the on-going state of chaos, saying that the whole community stands to pay dearly, and that it can result in Egypt’s downfall.
The NCHR called on the Military Council and the Prime Minister to dismiss the Interior Minister Mansour al-Essawy for failing to achieve a state of stability and security within the community and for giving freedom to law breakers, which all contributed in inciting sectarian tension. This, warned the NCHR, can end in civil war. Anyone who tampers with Egypt’s security should be dealt with harshly, advised the NCHR.
