Sunday, November 20, 2011

Egyptian protesters clash with police for second day



Police fire teargas and rubber bullets at protesters in Tahrir Square a day after two people were killed and 600 wounded

Jack Shenker in Cairo and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 20 November 2011

"Egyptian riot police, firing teargas and rubber bullets, have clashed for a second day with thousands of rock-throwing protesters demanding that the ruling military quickly announce a date to hand over power to an elected government.

The police battled with an estimated 5,000 protesters in and around central Cairo's Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 18-day uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February. Sunday's clashes, which come a day after two people were killed and hundreds wounded in similar violence in the capital and other cities, are stoking tensions eight days before the start of the country's first post-Mubarak parliamentary elections. Public anger has risen over the slow pace of reforms and apparent attempts by Egypt's ruling generals to retain power over a future civilian government....

On Friday a group of prominent intellectuals, including former UN nuclear weapons chief Mohamed ElBaradei, unveiled an alternative transition plan which would involve postponing the parliamentary ballot and wresting executive control of Egypt away from the armed forces while a new constitution is drawn up.

The ruling generals have yet to respond to the proposal."

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