Revolt! February 2, 2011

February 2, 2011

1:16pm

I told my friend Dena last night that the surefire way to undermine the protests now would be to restore Internet service and let the protesters eat each other alive in the blogs and chat rooms, bickering about whether this latest concession goes far enough. Sure enough, we have Internet back today and there is a lot more debate in the streets about whether the protests should continue. Many people who aren’t participating and therefore aren’t getting a daily dose of patriotism and camaraderie at the rallies are getting tired of the curfew, tense from being cooped up and the pressure of having to provide for their families with limited cash supplies and no work. There will start to be more infighting soon between the opposition factions and it will be up to the organizers to hold it all together. I hope they do, otherwise we’ll have to go through this all again in September when Mubarak decides to run for reelection.

I heard this morning that around 300 have been killed across Egypt so far

4:54
Well, it has been a sad and exciting afternoon. A few hours ago, a horde of camel and horseback riding thugs rode through the military roadblock and began attacking the protesters in Tahrir Square. The two sides began throwing rocks at one another. Many people fled and many others were carried away with wounds from rocks. The army is trying to provide a cordon between the protesters and the attackers with tanks but is not able or willing to actively restore calm. The noise is incredible and clearly audible from my balcony.

The international news media keeps referring to them as “pro-Mubarak supporters,” which does not seem to be accurate. Possibly some of them are politically motivated, but the protesters are pulling the IDs off of the ones who started the attack and showing the cameras that these are security forces in plainclothes. The TV stations know this and reported this but instead of calling these guys “security forces,” or “hired thugs,” or “government forces,” etc., they keep calling them “Mubarak supporters.” I think that gives a really skewed view of what is happening. This is not a popular counter-protest movement, this is an attack by the government on the peaceful protesters and should be reported as such. This is very disappointing.

It appears from CNN’s coverage that Anderson Cooper has arrived in Cairo. This is the closest I have ever been to Anderson Cooper. Curfew just started so I suppose it is a bad time to go looking for him…maybe tomorrow…

I wonder if both sides will stop to pray at the evening call to prayer.

Life in Zamalek continues to be uneventful. I made a different kind of chicken soup today. I walked the dog twice again. Internet is back, at least temporarily, so most people I know have stayed home answering concerned emails of friends and family. I am immensely appreciative to be back in contact with the rest of the world but I am really disappointed that the police and the military are doing nothing to bring peace back to the protests in Tahrir and concerned about what will happen after dark. I am feeling cabin fever more than ever and my cold has moved into my chest so I will probably go to bed early. However, I am afraid that once darkness falls and the cameras don’t have so great a view, the government forces will start using live fire. Even if it is jus tear gas and rubber bullets again, I imagine the gunfire will make sleep difficult.

My neighbors have invited me over for dinner in a few hours. I hope they have wine. It has been a stressful afternoon.