Close to a 1000 people took the streets of Cairo, to march against being denied enter into Gaza and participation in the Gaza Freedom March . Delegates from almost 43 different nations had converged in downtown Cairo across the Egyptian museum bringing peak time traffic to a standstill as the marched for almost 2 kilometers.
A delegation of some 700 Palestinian activists from around the globe gathered early this morning to embark on their protest action.There was a heavy police presence, with reinforcements close by, which suggested that the Egyptian intelligence had already been informed about the events.
The lotus hotel, where part of the American delegation where staying was barricaded not allowing them to leave. The South African delegation was advised to leave the hotel as the police were stopping people from leaving the building.
At 10am, the group broke free from where they were standing at the gates of the Egyptian Museum and ran into the center of the road in a symbolic protest.They were joined with other delegates all coming together from different angles. Chanting as they the marched through the street, they completely blocked traffic,and security officials had taken their positions around the protesters. Riot police had been violent, shoving protesters, grabbing their equipment and pushed protesters with steel barricades, closing off the entire area.
One protester was pulled off the street by the police, which started a sit-down in protest by other protesters. Chaos reigned when police turned violent and started pulling people off the street and shoving them onto the sidewalk.
The Egyptian police punched, kicked and pinched women as they tried to evacuate people off the street. After some resistance people all moved to the sidewalk where they where contained. Walking around the besieged square, one could see many hysterical peoples, tears and blood flowed and many sported injuries from the manhandling.Fellow journalist, Cii reporter, Azhar Vadi has video footage of the police kicking demonstrators.
The South African delegation was out in full force, with some of its members suffering minor injuries. Faeza Desai said that they had push the steel barriers over her and dragged her by her feet, when she had fallen they had dragged her by her. thy had also thrown her camera into the crowd, but she managed to find it. According to Desai, the only thing that saved her was "screaming Allahu Akbar".
A Canadian delegate of Palestinian descent was very distraught as she recounted the police pulling her hijab and her pants as they pulled her to the sidewalk. Tears ran down another Canadian delegate who was punched in the face caused her nose to bleed profusely.
A group of approximately 500 people where barricaded into a part of the square by riot police. In solidarity the different delegations chanted slogans, sang, danced and protested against the Egyptians governments refusal to allow safe passage in Gaza and the continued enclosure of the Gaza strip.
The protesters where kept in for the entire day, with protesters hanging banners an flags of their country from trees and poles showing their support to the course. Branches of leaves symbolizing the olive tree were waved in the air as the delegates chanted anti Israel slogans!Each country had a chance to address the group and share their messages to the international audience, the South African delegation led the protest in a chant of Amandla Intifada!
The riot police had tried to compress the crowd and constrict them closer together but the group had managed to keep them from advancing further onto the group. The square nicknamed Gaza Square was a symbolic siege that the Palestinians go through each day. The riot police increased in numbers, generals, the military and Egyptian intelligence where all present.
As the day got hotter, the crowd simmered down, with people sitting down in little groups singing songs of freedom and hope. Water and some food was allowed in, but generally people where not allowed back n after they had left. The lack of taps and facilities for water became a problem, and after some thought a contingency plan was found, a makeshift men and ladies were created. As the time of midday prayer drew in,protesters made tayyamum and perform salaah with items of clothing and boxes used as prayer mats.
With the sun getting lower,there was talks of people camping over and seeing in the new year at Gaza square,the calmness of the group soon made the police ansy, with intelligence infiltrating within the group. This caused a reaction of people protesting a little more fervently, rallying in the support of the cars passing in one of the main roads in Cairo.The march came to a dignified end with a speech by Scottish Delegate member, Mick Naipers.
Today's action,contrary to the concern of many, had created a wave in the media, with many media breaking the story.
Delegation's left the square and were followed by an Egyptian Intelligence member to ensure people do not start anther protest.
Currently the French are still camped outside their embassy to protest being denied access to Gaza.Few hunger strikers re observing dry fast until they are allowed into the occupied territory.
** pictures to follow **
hasina Gori
Live 4rm Cairo, Egypt
Showing posts with label egyptian ban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label egyptian ban. Show all posts
Dec 30, 2009
Chants as Netanyahu meets Mubarak
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Cairo for a 90-minute meeting on Tuesday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for talks that focused on breaking the deadlock in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. He was greeted by a sour atmosphere in The Egyptian capital.
The chants of “Down with Isreal”, “Stop the War”, “Free Gaza”, and “Down with Netanyahu” could be heard ringing outside the Syndicate of Journalist building in Cairo from late this afternoon. Egyptian nationals and foreign delegates from 43 nations converged on the stairways of the building to protest Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Egyptian government had deployed their riot police to create a human barricade to contain the growing crowd. The load vocal group consisted of local Egyptians including housewives and journalist and international delegations from Austria, Italy, South Africa, Switzerland and many more.
Chatted with an Egyptian journalist Ahmed Ragb, who had come to lend support to the protest, Ahmed was one of the journalists who had been detained on Monday, at the French Embassy in Cairo, for recording footage of the protest. He says that Egyptian police had detained him for a few hours, letting him go after minor harassment.
According to Ragb, this was the first time that riot police had not being physical at a protest. Egyptian police usually have long baton that they use on demonstrators. He recounted an incident of his arm being broken last year while protesting on the 27th of December against the Israel offensive.
The chants of “Down with Isreal”, “Stop the War”, “Free Gaza”, and “Down with Netanyahu” could be heard ringing outside the Syndicate of Journalist building in Cairo from late this afternoon. Egyptian nationals and foreign delegates from 43 nations converged on the stairways of the building to protest Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Egyptian government had deployed their riot police to create a human barricade to contain the growing crowd. The load vocal group consisted of local Egyptians including housewives and journalist and international delegations from Austria, Italy, South Africa, Switzerland and many more.
Chatted with an Egyptian journalist Ahmed Ragb, who had come to lend support to the protest, Ahmed was one of the journalists who had been detained on Monday, at the French Embassy in Cairo, for recording footage of the protest. He says that Egyptian police had detained him for a few hours, letting him go after minor harassment.
According to Ragb, this was the first time that riot police had not being physical at a protest. Egyptian police usually have long baton that they use on demonstrators. He recounted an incident of his arm being broken last year while protesting on the 27th of December against the Israel offensive.
Dec 24, 2009
Gaza march will go ahead
Despite an announcement by the Egyptian government that it will not allow protesters to cross the Rafah Crossing - the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza - organisers say the international march will proceed, and South African participants are determined to be there. The South African delegation, numbering close to 20 activists, will be led by former Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils, and will include trade unionists, professionals, journalists, and solidarity activists.
Hundreds of activists are expected to descend on OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Sunday at 7pm to give the South African delegation what is expected to be a rousing and emotional send-off. "We have prepared for this trip, and we are going to Cairo; we will not be stopped by such announcements," a March spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Media Review Network said on Wednesday that the African Union's silence on the wall being built between Gaza and Egypt is "a huge betrayal". The group, which aims to dispel myths and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims, called on the South African government to intervene and pressure the Egyptian government into stopping the erection of the wall.
"The MRN finds it unacceptable that the AU's inaction will contribute to the suffering of the Gaza populationWe therefore view this as a huge betrayal of the Gazan population and moral failure on the part of the AU leadership," it said in a statement. The MRN accused Egypt of participating in "crimes against humanity" in its policy towards Gaza.
Negotiations are ongoing with Egyptian authorities in order to convince them to allow marchers through the border. The almost 1,400 protesters from all over the world are expected to cross en masse into Gaza on the 29th December and, on the 31st December, to join Palestinians from Gaza in a massive march to the Erez Crossing - the border between Gaza and Israel.
"The purpose of the march is to show Palestinians that the world does care. People in Gaza have been living under a strangulating siege for about two years. No food, medicines, medical supplies, fuel, or reconstruction material is allowed to go through. We are calling for an end to this blockade, and for international law to apply. Under international law, such collective punishment is illegal. But the world stands by as Gaza starves. We are marching on Erez to tell the Israeli government and the world that Erez must be opened, that crucial supplies must be allowed through, that sick people should be allowed to receive medical treatment," the spokesperson said.
She added that the second reason for the march was to commemorate the Israeli attacks on Gaza in December 2008-January 2009, when about 1,400 people - mostly civilians were killed in Gaza by the Israeli Occupation Forces. ‘Those attacks were a violation of international law and of human rights. According to the Goldstone Report, commissioned by the United Nations, Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during those attacks. The world must remember, and the perpetrators must be brought to book,' she added.
The South African delegation will leave OR Tambo International Airport on the night of Sunday, 27th December. Activists will meet at the airport to meet the delegation at 7pm in the international departures section. The South African response is being spearheaded by the Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Palestine Solidarity Committee, Palestine Solidarity Group and Media Review Network. VOC
Hundreds of activists are expected to descend on OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Sunday at 7pm to give the South African delegation what is expected to be a rousing and emotional send-off. "We have prepared for this trip, and we are going to Cairo; we will not be stopped by such announcements," a March spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Media Review Network said on Wednesday that the African Union's silence on the wall being built between Gaza and Egypt is "a huge betrayal". The group, which aims to dispel myths and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims, called on the South African government to intervene and pressure the Egyptian government into stopping the erection of the wall.
"The MRN finds it unacceptable that the AU's inaction will contribute to the suffering of the Gaza populationWe therefore view this as a huge betrayal of the Gazan population and moral failure on the part of the AU leadership," it said in a statement. The MRN accused Egypt of participating in "crimes against humanity" in its policy towards Gaza.
Negotiations are ongoing with Egyptian authorities in order to convince them to allow marchers through the border. The almost 1,400 protesters from all over the world are expected to cross en masse into Gaza on the 29th December and, on the 31st December, to join Palestinians from Gaza in a massive march to the Erez Crossing - the border between Gaza and Israel.
"The purpose of the march is to show Palestinians that the world does care. People in Gaza have been living under a strangulating siege for about two years. No food, medicines, medical supplies, fuel, or reconstruction material is allowed to go through. We are calling for an end to this blockade, and for international law to apply. Under international law, such collective punishment is illegal. But the world stands by as Gaza starves. We are marching on Erez to tell the Israeli government and the world that Erez must be opened, that crucial supplies must be allowed through, that sick people should be allowed to receive medical treatment," the spokesperson said.
She added that the second reason for the march was to commemorate the Israeli attacks on Gaza in December 2008-January 2009, when about 1,400 people - mostly civilians were killed in Gaza by the Israeli Occupation Forces. ‘Those attacks were a violation of international law and of human rights. According to the Goldstone Report, commissioned by the United Nations, Israel committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during those attacks. The world must remember, and the perpetrators must be brought to book,' she added.
The South African delegation will leave OR Tambo International Airport on the night of Sunday, 27th December. Activists will meet at the airport to meet the delegation at 7pm in the international departures section. The South African response is being spearheaded by the Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Palestine Solidarity Committee, Palestine Solidarity Group and Media Review Network. VOC
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