The Arabist

The Arabist

By Issandr El Amrani and friends.

al-Ghad UPDATE

Today, Hizb al-Ghad went to Sharqiya governate to open a party office in the town of Kafr al-Saqor. There were problems.

I received a text from Wa'el Nawara (Senior al-Ghad Member) who wrote:

Government thugs, supported by police forces, have attacked 3 buses full of al-Ghad members on their way to a conference in Kafr Sakr, Sharkiya as part of a Door knocking campaign. 20 Ghad Members were injured and hospitalized. Buses were damaged and looted. This shows how the system tolerates opposition and its true intentions in having true democracy and free elections


A second text read:

Eyewitnesses said the thugs were paid 50LE each. Buses changed their courses in response to advanced warnings but traffic troopers alerted police, who instructed the thugs to change their position to intercept el-Ghad's buses. Attackers and police climbed the buses looking for Ayman Nor & attacked press photographers and damaged film and cameras. A police officer said in confidence they they were instructed to keep a close eye on the attack but to prevent fatalities.


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If this keeps up, in addition to arrests of MB and Kifaya people, I am guessing the fall scheduled parliamentary elections could be bloody (outside Cairo, at least).