Almost 100 people were killed in clashes with Egyptian authorities in Cairo, as the Egyptian security moved people out of the sit-in that demanded the return of Mohammed Morse. Morsi was ousted and a new government had been established in Egypt last month.
According to the Egyptian Health Ministry, 95 people died and several hundreds had been injured in the situation that forced the government to move people out of the sit in. In the clash against the protesters, the interim president declared Egypt to be in a state of emergency.
Cairo is burning. Fires are smoldering, protesters comment that people are dying, women and children. Shops are closed and the streets are vacant, there are also no vehicles on the road. One taxi driver commented, “all the people are afraid. {but} after a while, things will be fine.” He drove through the empty streets but noted the military tanks that were deployed around the city streets, according to USA Today.The military had blocked the road which lead to another small sit in and had cordoned off a bridge that led to Tahrir Square. Tanks stood in front of the Egyptian museum and lined the streets.
Britain’s Sky News delivered the sad news that one of its cameramen was killed in the riots. Protesters claimed that the government opened live fire against them, but the interior ministry commented that they only used tear gas against protesters.
At one sit in, a 30 year old protester, Abou Zeid Badr commented, “people elected Morsi and voted for the constitution and the parliament, and these votes were crushed by the military.” In July, at least 130 people were known to have been killed in the clashes between protesters and military forces. Morsi supporters note that Morsi was the nations very first freely elected leader.
Demonstrators have established a kind of fort at the ‘front lines’ of the once thought to be peaceful sit-ins. Tents were made from wood, electricity was drawn from lampposts, restrooms were constructed, and a garbage collection was organized. Meals were distributed and a hospital was set up. Since the uprising against Mubarak, authorities have called the pro-Morsi protests a threat to national security. Protesters are calling on the United States for help. “If the United States does not take a clear stance, there will be no embassy here and no Americans anywhere in the Middle East. Tell them to wake up and say: this is a military coup. “