Millions marched against Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood
By Christof Lehmann - NSNBC International
On 30 June 2013, one year after President Mohammed Morsi came to power in Egypt, 14 million Egyptians took to the streets, filling Cairo´s Tahrir Square beyond capacity, and demanding, that Morsi steps down on Tuesday. A counter-demonstration of the Freedom and Justice Party and Muslim Brotherhood at a nearby mosque in Nasr City, was dwarfed by the number of opposition protest
Violent clashes erupted, resulting in the death of at least sixteen, mainly opposition protesters and more than 600 injured. The Cairo headquarter of the Justice and Freedom Party was torched. In many locations, police forces joined the opposition protesters. President Mohammed Morsi has left the Egyptian Capital Cairo due to security concerns. Mohammed el-Barradai criticizes Morsi, while many opposition members warn about the U.S. attempt to co-opt the revolution, version 1.02 by trying to install the U.S. friendly Nobel Prize Laureate.
A new Egyptian Superlative. After an ominously silent start of Sunday, millions of protesters began streaming into Egypt´s capital Cairo at noon. At 16.00 o´clock Cairo was filled beyond capacity.
Egypt, a country known for superlatives, added one more record to its history. Egypt´s, maybe the worlds greatest demonstration ever, filled Tahrir Square beyond capacity with opposition protesters, who demanded the resignation of President Mohammed Morsi.
AFP reports, that an Egyptian military source, on conditions of anonymity, has confirmed that the protests on 30 June were the largest demonstration in Egyptian history. An estimated 14 million have taken to the streets. Mass protests took also place in several other cities, throughout Egypt.
In Cairo, a few kilometers away from Tahrir Square, near a mosque in Nasr City, a coalition of Justice and Freedom Party, JFP, Muslim Brotherhood, and smaller Islamist Parties and organizations gathered for a counter-demonstration, which was dwarfed by the massive numbers of opposition protesters.
Some Muslim Brotherhood members came armed with batons, baseball bats, knifes, makeshift weapons, including improvised flame throwers and guns.
Some Muslim Brotherhood members came armed with batons, baseball bats, knifes, makeshift weapons, including improvised flame throwers and guns.
An nsnbc correspondent reported from the scene of the counter-demonstration, that many of the Muslim Brotherhood members had come armed with batons, baseball bats, other makeshift weapons, including improvised flame throwers and guns.
Reportedly, an armed “agent provocateur” detachment, that split off from the counter-demonstration and headed for Tahrir Square, that was responsible for provoking the first violent clashes and a the subsequent storm on the Justice and Freedom Party headquarters.
Sixteen Killed, Hundreds Injured, Freedom and Justice Party Headquarters Torched. In the early evening and throughout the night, violent clashes erupted between the two sides, resulting in the death of at least sixteen protesters.
Local newspapers report about approximately 600 injured. Five opposition protesters were reportedly killed when Muslim Brotherhood members opened fire on protesters who attempted to storm the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters. The Cairo headquarter of the Justice and Freedom Party was stormed by opposition protesters and torched. Cairo police was overwhelmed by the masses.
Cairo Police Overwhelmed. Some Police Corps Joins Opposition Protesters Chanting “Step Down Morsi”. Cairo´s police and security forces were overwhelmed by the sheer number of the protesters. Opposition protesters have effectively closed down several main highways and railroad lines, and as the protests are continuing on Monday, parts of Egypt risk being brought to a stand still.
Senior police and security officers openly criticize President Morsi, saying that the police does not have sufficient manpower to protect Muslim Brotherhood properties. A growing number of police officers reject being poised against Egyptian citizens because the President is incapable of governing the country peacefully, and without creating mass violence.
During Sunday night´s protests, several police detachments were observed siding openly with the opposition protesters, joining them in their demands that Morsi must step down, while attempting to maintain a minimum amount of lawfulness by preventing violence.
Morsi Resists Demands – But Leaves Cairo for Security Reasons. President Mohammed Morsi rejects giving in to the protesters demands, calling them “paid thugs, counter revolutionaries” and by other names. Reportedly President Morsi has left the Egyptian capital because of security concerns, after protesters also began marching on the Presidential Residence.
Risk of Renewed U.S. Co-option of Protests,Version 1.02. The co-opting of the Arab Spring in Turkey and Egypt, by the United States´ and Qatar´s support of the installation of Muslim Brotherhood governments, is increasingly looking like a failure.
An Egyptian citizen who is functioning as correspondent for nsnbc in Cairo reported, that there is a growing awareness among protesters, that the 2011 Arab Spring and the victory of Morsi was heavily backed by Qatar and the USA. Moreover, the correspondent reports, that a growing number of people are becoming alarmed about, what they perceive as the United States co-option attempt, version 1.02, by preparing the possible substitution of Mohammed Morsi with Mohammed el-Barradai.
Prior to the beginning of Sunday´s protests, the Nobel Prize Laureate Mohammed el-Barradai addressed the press, stating:
“We gave Morsi a driving permit, he does not know how to drive. The country is decaying and failing, this is not Egypt and this is not the revolution”.
Behold, a Pale Horse. Egypt senses the Apocalypse
Sensation of Apocalypse, as Protests and Clashes Continue. The Reuters news agency quotes an anonymous Egyptian military official who reportedly has stated, that 14 million Egyptians had taken to the streets. At about 9.00 o´clock in the morning, local time, a second assault was made on the Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood. Details about the incident could not yet bee independently validated, but it is reported, that the building and the occupants were attacked with stones and Molotov cocktails. There are reports about more injuries. Police forces seem reluctant to intervene more than absolutely necessary.
At the time of the editing of this article, at noon, on 1 June 2013, Tahrir Square remains packed with protesters who have given President Morsi an ultimatum to resign and to call for new elections by Tuesday afternoon, or else. The atmosphere on Tahrir Square is reportedly an ominous blend of anticipation, determination, celebration, and a sense of facing the unknown. Anticipation and fear of an Apocalypse. One likely outcome that could prevent the country from descending into chaos is a military takeover and new elections when the country has stabilized. The “Check Mate Mohammed Morsi” situation was already predicted by analysts in November 2012.
Special thanks to NSNBC International
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About the Author
Christof Lehmann - Dr. Christof Lehmann is the founder and editor of nsnbc. He is a psychologist and independent political consultant on conflict and conflict resolution and a wide range of other political issues. His work with traumatized victims of conflict has led him to also pursue the work as political consultant. He is a lifelong activist for peace and justice, human rights, Palestinians rights to self-determination in Palestine, and he is working on the establishment of international institutions for the prosecution of all war crimes, also those committed by privileged nations. On 28 August 2011 he started his blog nsnbc, appalled by misrepresentations of the aggression against Libya and Syria. In March 2013 he turned nsnbc into a daily, independent, international on-line newspaper. He can be contacted at nsnbc international at nsnbc.wordpress@gmail.com
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