Cairo Magazine - Anti-Mubarak protesters violently beaten by police

Thugs gang up on an anti-Mubarak activist and beat him with billy clubs.

Victoria Mosimann

Two days after the official beginning of President Hosni Mubarak's re-election campaign—the first in which he is not the only candidate—security forces sent a chilling message to anyone thinking of running against him.

Thousands of uniformed police surrounded anti-Mubarak protesters on the evening of 30 July as gangs of plain-clothed agents pounded them with foot-long truncheons. The pre-dusk melee left three protestors hospitalized in critical condition, according to Kifaya leaders, and 23 behind bars.

The gruesome spectacle unfolded shortly after 6pm, when small groups of demonstrators assembled on Talaat Harb Street after being turned away from Midan Tahrir, where they had originally planned to gather.

Within minutes, gangs of young men directed by plainclothes security officers with holstered pistols, set on the protesters, beating them, kicking them and dragging them into police vans. Uniformed police formed cordons around protesters. Those in the middle had nowhere to go to escape the baton-wielding gangs.

Those demonstrators who escaped the first onslaught by security agents ran through Downtown’s streets, blocking traffic and chanting, “The terrorists are here,” referring to security forces. A second wave of clashes broke out in Midan Square, outside the Horreya (Freedom) Café.

Two girls, standing on an elevated ledge in front of a shop window screamed as the attackers closed in. One of the girls managed to grab a bamboo cane and waved it desperately in defense before disappearing into the fray.

"Down with the rule of the dog Mubarak," one young man yelled as he was being clubbed.

In the aftermath of the assault, activists stumbled around dazed, some with trickles of blood running down their foreheads.

Wael Khalil, a leading Kifaya activist, was attacked by plain clothed security. Bruised and shaken up, he was led away by police, but not before making a single statement to journalists: "Welcome to Mubarak's fifth term," he said. Khalil remains in detention.

Nadia Gamal, a veiled 19-year-old girl, shook with anger, tears streaming down her face, eyes red with rage.

"It was a peaceful demonstration," she insisted. "It was announced publicly. Still they came and surrounded us, boxed us in and then attacked us. I was trapped under the feet of police. They held me there and hit me. They ripped off my veil and pulled off my shoes."

Security officials confiscated foreign news photographers' film and snatched a notebook from a Reuters reporter. While talking to journalists, activist and university lecturer Yehi Hilal was dragged away by police and shoved into a paddy wagon.

At least one police officer who appeared to be unconscious was seen being put into a taxi and driven away.

After sunset, as violence ebbed, the gangs of young men who had been beating protesters strode down the street, joking with one another. A teenage girl watched them walk past, and spat at them, "I wish you'd all fall down and die right now."

After the clashes ended, protesters gathered on the steps of the Journalists’ Syndicate. Many stayed through the night, vowing not to leave until those arrested had been released. The following morning they moved their sit-in around the corner to the High Court on 26th of July Street. Perhaps 50 demonstrators danced, clapped, and chanted outside the office of Attorney General Maher Abdel Wahed.

“Ya Gamal, tell your father 'the Egyptians will cut you him to pieces,'” they yelled.

As on 25 May, police coordinated attacks with hired thugs, who are usually paid a small sum to assault protestors. The NDP denied having hired anybody, and internal investigations have still not been concluded, party officials say.

Victoria Mosimann

Just two days before Saturday’s clashes, Mubarak’s campaign spokesman Mohammed Kamal vowed that security forces would remain neutral throughout the presidential campaign.

Speaking to foreign journalists from the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) newly-christened campaign headquarters in Heliopolis, Kamal spoke of a “commitment that [what happened on 25 May] would not be repeated.” The 25 May referendum to approve a constitutional amendment allowing multi-candidate elections was marred by violent clashes with demonstrators. Gangs of Mubarak supporters attacked demonstrators, and some women has their clothes torn and were molested.

Kamal said that state “will be neutral during this campaign,” abiding by election law and all the rules of the campaign. He said that these statements were made with the events of May 25 in mind.

“We don’t want what happened on the referendum day to be repeated. There will be no rogue elements, no freelancers,” he said using a euphemism to refer to the hired thugs. Despite all the concern over May 25, two months on, the internal investigation into events is still ongoing and “no disciplinary actions have been taken yet.”

Kamal could not be reached for comment on the more recent clashes.

The ruling party is sending a clear message to opponents, according to activists, as the violence took place just one day after presidential candidates began registering for the 7 September vote.

"This demonstration was directly against the campaign of Mubarak, so I guess they consider this a red line," said Farid Zahran, a prominent leftist publisher and longtime political activist who was present at the melee. "But how can you have multiple-candidate elections in which nobody can say no to Mubarak?"