Clashes erupt in Cairo's Tahrir (Pro-reformers say soldiers & gangsters used violence to eject them)

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Pro-reform protesters say soldiers used violence in effort to get hundreds of people to leave square in Egypt's capital.
Last Modified: 09 Mar 2011 20:47 GMT

The Egyptian army has forcefully removed protesters from Cairo's Tahrir Square, after dozens of men armed with rocks attacked several hundred pro-reform campaigners.

Officers fired warning shots in the air to break up the two sides on Wednesday and scores were arrested. The flow of traffic through the square was cut off but has since been restored.

"We were attacked by the army and plainclothes thugs destroying the tents and beating up everyone," Salma Said, one of the pro-reform campaigners, said.

"I was very shocked seeing the army coming with sticks, beating everyone and destroying tents over people's heads."

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/03/201139175317866295.html

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Activists attacked in Tahrir Square as El Baradei confirms his candidacy

Rowenna Davies, The Guardian | Thursday March 10 2011

Small groups of men armed with rocks and knives have attacked hundreds of pro-reform protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square ahead of a move by the the Egyptian army to eject the last campaigners from the centre of the uprising that drove President Mubarak from power.

Reformists have continued to gather in Tahrir Square since Mubarak was toppled on Februay 11, though not as many as before. Activists have called for bigger participation to press demands for political reform.

However, state television on Wednesday showed footage of hundreds of people in the square facing off and throwing rocks as protesters said they came under attack.

"A group of gangsters attacked us with stones, they seemed to be wanting us to leave the square," said Gamal Hussein, 60.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/10/activists-attacked-tahrir-as-el-baradei-confirms

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