The BBC is now using the revolution word. No other word can describe this. It is not protests or riots.
The USA is slowly changing its tone, and calling for "orderly transition". So perhaps there is pressure from them on Mubarak.
A friend was an eyewitnesses from the crucial turning point of Friday protests in Alexandria tell of a heroic resistance between riot police and Egyptians. This was at the intersection of Champollion St and Alexander the Great St in Azarita.
The protesters went on the street after the weekend Friday noon congregational prayer. The riot police clashed with them, and fired tear gas at them. They severely beat them, and rounded many in the "boxes" (covered trucks), ready to take them to prisons. Suddenly the wind reversed direction, and all the tear gas was blowing back on the riot police themselves. The riot police were dizzy because of that and the people pushed back, freeing the detained ones. The director of security of Alexandria fled to an entrance, and when one security conscript followed to help him, he shewed him away so as not to get detected. Later, that director's residence was burned down at the other end of the city.
The protesters went to the corniche street (sea side main highway) and went east to the Stanley bridge. They prayed there, and more riot police followed them. Another group of protesters came from downtown and the riot police was trapped between two large groups, with the sea on one side and a large barrier on the other. The riot police fled south on the Roman Camp street.
On the way back, my friend said it look like a war zone, as if it was bombed from the air. All police trucks, armored vehicles were torched. He took pictures and said he will upload them when the internet is restored.
The same friend said that Sunday in the morning at 6:20 am, he was with the neighborhood committee, and used garbage boxes to block the streets. He lives south of the Flower Clock towards the Stadium. They got news that there are cars randomly shooting bullets on citizens.
A speeding car came and hit the garbage boxes, and the committee members chased it, broke the windshield and found 2 machine guns, and 3 pistols and 1 laptop. The driver was an officer in the reviled State Security police. He was given a good beating. Later people came from Sultan Hussein St and said that he was shooting there. He was handed over to the army. He said he can get his exact name and rank from the other members.
There is no doubt now that this is deliberate sabotage by the regime and/or the police, and not just rumors.
The same "creating chaos" scenario happened in Tunisia by El Seriati, head of presidential security. The same random firing on people, burning down stuff, ...etc. He was caught and arrested.
I hope the same happen to those responsible in Egypt, and they are put on trial after the dust settles.
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