Chicago Indymedia : http://chicago.indymedia.org/archive
Chicago Indymedia

LOCAL News :: Civil & Human Rights

Transcript: Tahrir Square, indy photojournalist Matt Cassel, 10PM Cairo time today

A partial transcript of the cell phone conversation
Protesters in Egypt use a carefully executed plan to ward off pro-Mubarak thugs

Pro-democracy protesters have staged a 5-day demonstration at Tahrir Square calling for the ousting of the "U.S.-backed dictator", Mubarak. Matt Cassel, independent photo journalist on the ground in Cairo, reports via cell phone.

Mubarak thugs tried to attack, but the protesters used a carefully planned defense

The scene: Tahrir Square, which is a large community area that recently has been packed with up to 1-2 million protesters, and where huge battles took place. Over the past few days, the pro-democracy (anti-Mubarak) protesters have faced off against Mubarak supporters and his thugs out on the streets, and the pro-democracy protesters pushed them back. Footage was aired today on Al Jazeera and other independent TV news networks.

"Today I watched again as Mubarak supporters and his thugs came and tried to again invade Tahrir Square through the museum. And what I saw happen was the anti-dictatorship, pro-democracy protesters staged a carefully planned resistance to their assault. They have blocked off all entrances of Tahrir. They have tight security. You get your passport checked, your I.D. card checked 2 or 3 times just when you're entering one entrance, and you're searched at least 2 times."

"By the museum [the anti-Mubarak protesters] have a similar thing. They've taken the metal barriers from the construction site and they've set them up as barriers to ward off any attacks by Mubarak and his thugs."

"They did a great job of it. They massed up stones, they were going after them. They moved the front line ahead after each battle."

"They were able to stage a very effective resistance battle against these forces. I think they're only going to continue to do it. They had a victory last night, another victory today. They have the numbers, the momentum, the world behind them."

Matt doesn't think that Mubarak and his supporters will be able to infiltrate Tahrir Square "unless they do something unimaginable, such as use more violence than they did last night when 4 or 5 protesters were killed with gunfire."

What would protesters ask for in solidarity actions throughout the world?

"The protesters definitely appreciate the solidarity. The people do know about it, despite the fact that Al Jazeera has been banned in Egypt. Now today there was a chance of saying that the whole entire world is with us. Solidarity protests have been happening and I know they are very much appreciated."

"The Egyptian people for a long time, they don't think (the government) really listened to their grievances as they have had to live in a U.S.-backed dictatorship here."

"The protesters are a bit impatient with the situation. They would like to see the change happen sooner before they are attacked again by the armed thugs."

Chicago Indymedia reporter Chris Geovanis pointed out that the U.S. administration has apparently chosen Suleiman to succeed Mubarak. But El Baradei has not been so compliant with the unpopular foreign policies of the U.S., including the blockade that Egypt has maintained against Gaza.

Cassel responded, "appointing Suleiman is just another attempt to placate protesters. They're not buying it. I don't think they're going to be satisfied with another dictator coming into the same power structure."

Matt hasn't been following local media too closely because it's controlled by the state almost entirely. The local media are not talking about El Baradei, and so the people on the streets aren't talking about him either.

"El Baradei has been out of the country for a month. He's just not a popular figure with the protesters right now. They don't want any one person challenging. I think that's why they're fighting actually. And they want to come up with a more democratic system to replace the current one."

"The only people talking about El Baradei are western (unintelligible) trying to put a face or a popular figure or an individual on the massive protests, which they shouldn't do because no one (?) is leading (the protests)."
 
 

Donate

Views

Account Login

Media Centers

 

This site made manifest by dadaIMC software