Yesterday's morning I saw an invitation over Facebook for a demonstration to condemn Imbaba events by coptics and to demand their rights. Quite frankly I didn’t think much of it or that it will be effective or anything will happen then around 5PM fellow tweeps starting tweeting about the road being blocked in front of Alexandria library by angry Coptic protestors so I went to check it out.
The scene followed is the road being blocked from both sides by protestors, the thing is their method contained a lot of violence an army officer who came to try to reason with them was dismissed violently , they tried to stop two army vehicles and a police truck from passing violently ( in which I mean they would hold to the sides of the car and knock over the windows and push it around) They attacked two government transportation busses , which didn’t look peaceful at all they were knocking over its sides violently cursing it to take a turn and go back. A car passed by speeding up and running over a protestor which was a bit graphic. Then I (and all females standing around) was asked to leave because it is not our place to be.
Quite frankly the group blocking the road looked like thugs looked like low lives so I took a side in a couple of steps away coffee shop and kept watching.
The angry mob that filled the street dispersed into smaller groups having heated conversations and arguments then whistles came from a road block they created using traffic police steel road barriers then chants of “ 2rga3 ya 2ebti (come back Copt) erupted from the group of protesters centered on the stairs of the Library and they marched back to the group chanting “2rfa3 rasak foo2 enta 2ebti “Raise your head up high you are a Copt”
Slowly the traffic started to pour in from one lane and the other shortly followed. The group erupted in religious chants, prayers and chants demanding their rights. Then they spotted a flock of doves flying in the sky so they erupted in cheers as they feel their prayers are being answered then they chanted “ Bos shoof el 3adra bet3ml eh” look at what the virgin Mary is doing” and this event was repeated all through the stand everytime the flock or a dove been spotted. There were wooden crosses in their hands through the demonstration and they gathered around a big wooden cross, couples of small candles were lit as they continued their chants and prayers. Toward the end police officers arrived standing by the pavement making sure traffic is going on and that the protesters stay away from the street. The demonstration ended over chants of “Bokra el sa3a 7edashar” Tomorrow at 11AM” as they agreed to meet again tomorrow at the same place at 11AM.
The funny thing is on my way home I contacted a friend who told me that protestors at Maspero Cairo ended their demonstration around the same timing with the same chant, coincidence, no?
I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything, quite frankly the demonstration escaladed to violence then it ended beautifully with chants and prayers. I don’t see Copts protesting wrong or without a cause, they have the right to express their feelings and claim their rights, I only object to how they chose to block the roads, it was violent and uncalled for.
That's a video I took yesterday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VtURQSEbYM
and some pictures:
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