Romanian freelance journalist Cristian Botez, talks for HotNews.ro readers about the atmosphere in the Al Tahrir square and the events on Thursday, after the violent clashes on Wednesday night with pro-Mubarak supporters. They all say that Friday will be the big day."There will be war! There will be massacre!"protesters yell.
1 PM After a night in which army guns did not stop shooting in the Al Tahrir Square, killing three people and injuring hundreds, the first hours of the morning were calm. Starting 8AM, Egyptians contesting the Mubarak regime joined those who did not leave the square. Some of the protesters were still resting after the fights during the night, others were attempting to hide the evidence of the violent clashes from last night.
The road was completely destroyed, as stones were the only arms available to protesters. Teenagers and women shared water and bread to those who fought the whole night against Mubarak’s supporters. In several places, first aid places were organized where the wounded gathered. In front of the National History Museum, several civilian and military vehicles were set on fire.
In the clashes, Molotov cocktails were used at will. Several hundred yards away, through the North, a barricade set up by protesters was conquered by Mubarak’s supporters over the night. By noon, about 2000 people gathered there. Men, women, children. Most of them wore the signs of the massacre.
Bandaged, with their cloths full of blood, dirty but willing to die than give up their barricade. On the other side up to the suspended lanes, where only several hundred supporters of the Mubarak regime gathered, a military cordon was formed. At most 200 armed military and about 20 tanks. From time to time, rocks were being thrown from the other side of the military. However, protesters calmed each other, avoiding confrontation.
"We want a peaceful revolution but Mubarak wants blood", some yelled. Scandals are everywhere. "Down with Mubarak! We stay, you leave!". One of the protesters wounded the other night showed me the bullet doctors retrieved from his hip. "It’s from a gun of Mubarak’s agents!" he confessed.
Adjacent streets nearby the barricade are monitored by protesters who climbed on some buildings nearby. Everywhere there are filters. No one gets to pass without his/hers ID or possessions checked. From time to time, a Mubarak supporter falls pray in the hand of revolutionaries.
Even though he is protected by those who catch him, he is full of blood in several moments. 10-12 year olds are present to witness these bloody full scenes. The women are also active. They gather stones together with the men carry slogans and yell. Protesters say today is going to be a quite day even though the atmosphere is tense. If supporters of the regime will descend in the square, it is possible to have another violent clash.
Maybe even worse than what has happened yet. They all say that Friday is going to be the Big Day.
