Clinton condemns attacks on journalists and on peaceful protestors (in that order). She also says ther freedom of expression and of the press are rights that must not be suppressed. She did not condemn Mubarak for deliberately cutting off all forms of communication in Egypt for most of the last week. So basically the message is "we condemn anything bad that happens as long as we can imply that it wasn't Mubarak that did it".
Many, many journos have been attacked, including a Fox News team. They will probably regret that.
The UN Secretary General is getting impatient and saying the time for transition is NOW. Many European leaders seem to be toeing this line. Nobody in power has yet addressed the many, many accounts, pictures, and videos of NDP and police ID cards being taken from the people trying to kill the protestors.
Protestors report that undercover police are trying to infiltrate the square. Mubarak and his goons really are fucking monsters. Security within Tahrir is pretty tight, makeshift weapons are being stockpiled. Protestors are reportedly annoyed with themselves for not anticipating an attack. They've barricaded the main entrance to the square, and piled debris about 40m in front of it to force any charges to stumble/climb, and 10m away have stretched a heavy electricity cable at knee height across the street for the same purpose. One account by an Al Jazeera reporter sounds an awful lot like a zombie siege situation - the emphasis is very much on holding off and pushing back a horde for as long as possible until help arrives.
There's a fatalistic atmosphere according to some witnesses. The attitude seems to be "We die here, or we go home and are murdered by the police. I choose here. Fuck Mubarak." nonetheless, the people are clearly determined, though the situation, and Mubarak and Suleiman's good cop bad cop routine, propaganda, and other psychological warfare, are quite naturally wearing them down.
The protestors are still united only in their aims. Young, old, wealthy, poor, unemployed, doctors, men, women, muslim, christian, atheist. The call is going out for as many people as possible to come to Tahrir for tomorrow, the deadline they gave Mubarak. They want to show their solidarity as human beings, not as members of class or creed.
There is talk of marching on the presidential palace if he doesn't leave tomorrow. I admire this, but fear for its safety. I think many of these people have already decided that they will die for this cause one way or another.
Sharif Kouddous twatters:
Quote:
People have routed power from the street lights and are charging their cell phones in Tahrir #Egypt
These people are friggin' hardcore.