Clashes Erupt in Tahrir

Five months to the day after the Jan. 28th "Day of Anger" demonstrations across Egypt, clashes erupted between protesters and government security forces in Tahrir Square Tuesday night. Central Security troops repeatedly lobbed tear gas canisters into the square and fired rubber bullets at protesters in a failed attempt to disperse the crowd. Some protesters responded by hurling stones at the troops.

According to several accounts, the clashes began after police beat and arrested several family members of those killed in the 18-day uprising who had gathered at the Balloon Theater in the Agouza district from their sit-in at Maspero. A group then marched to the Interior Ministry where the police violence escalated and more arrests were made. The clashes spread and thousands of people flooded into Tahrir in solidarity. Hundreds of protesters were injured and many were either carried away to ambulances gathered on the outskirts of the square or received medical treatment where they fell.

June 28 Clashes Egypt Tahrir Square Broll from Nicole Salazar on Vimeo.

One protester, who was wounded and wearing a bandage on his head, gave us an account of how the clashes started. [Arabic]

June 28 Tahrir Clashes from Nicole Salazar on Vimeo.

By around 2:30am the clashes had largely subsided with Central Security forces somewhat retreating and ceasing to fire tear gas while thousands of protesters remained in Tahrir.