An NPR correspondent (Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, I believe) had to make her way this morning to a land line in Cairo, Egypt to phone in her update after all internet, cell phone and satellite phone signals had been cut off or jammed by the Egyptian government. Egypt is currently experiencing its largest popular protests in 30 years.
She described the one protest she had witnessed as growing to 10,000 – 20,000 protesters after Friday prayers, in which the imam had supported the peoples’ right to protest but called for peaceful, non-violent demonstrations. The correspondent noted this as significant, given the role of imams in the governing structure of Egypt.
It is being widely reported that the police are using rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds, and this particular journalist herself had been affected. Apparently many Egyptian citizens not protesting themselves are driving around Cairo, offering rides to those who look afflicted by tear gas. One such young man, who said he does not “have the lungs for it,” was driving around throwing eggs at police and gave her a ride to a land line.
Nelson reported that the police were using so much tear gas, it “spread across the neighborhood and some people were ‘fainting on the streets’.” In fact, Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, who had returned to Cairo for the protests was “soaked by water cannon and forced to take refuge in a mosque,” according to an AP report, and according to The Telegraph, UK, is now being held by authorities.