Egypt political crisis:
Army apologizes for crackdown
EGYPT: Egypt’s ruling military council has apologized, after
military police used force to break up a recent protest rally in Cairo’s
Liberation Square.”What happened late Friday was the result of
unintentional confrontations between the military police and the youth
of the revolution,” the military said in a statement.
But the apology has failed to satisfy Egyptian activists who are
calling for fresh protests to denounce violence by the
authorities.Thousands of Egyptians gathered in Liberation Square on
Friday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, who
was appointed by ousted president Hosni Mubarak toward the end of his
rule.
They also called for an immediate release of the remaining political
detainees.
But military police surrounded protesters shortly after midnight,
beating them with batons and attacking them with tasers. Activists have
also called for the lifting of a 30-year-old state of emergency and the
disbandment of military court.
They have vowed to continue demonstrations until the Egyptian army
agrees to the reforms. Sunday, Press tv |