Photojournalists attacked in Cairo

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Heard on several national news broadcasts last night that several photjournalists were attacked when trying to cover the protests the last couple days. One crew was just overrun by several men and forced away from where they were heading but when they were finally moved to another area the people who moved them apologized and told them that where they were going was not safe and that they should not go back if they wanted to stay alive.

Heck even Katie Couric and her crew were almost slammed to the ground by a group of pro Mubaric people. They think many plain clothes policemen are causing a lot of the problems.

This is one of the few times that i have heard of film/video crews being attacked when covering major uprisings like this that are not all out wars.

[Fireball]

Yeah, I just read the article on that too. They said the government had spies out on the tops of buildings with binoculars scouring the city to report anyone they saw on balconies or other high places that had video/photographic equipment they were using. They would then raid their hotel room/apartment, take their equipment and arrest them claiming they were spies for the opposition. Pretty scary place to be right now!

[ElanR]

Originally Posted by DEMDeepEllumMusic

Photojournalists attacked in Cairo

I think you're confusing advocates with journalists..

[groovyone]

Originally Posted by ElanR

I think you're confusing advocates with journalists..

Actually it is all journalists now. NPR was reporting on several journalists being detained by crowds and police alike.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

The second head guy for NBC was in Cairo and left and when they drove to the border they had their equipment seized, last night he said he wasn't sure if they got it all back. He said that other cars of journalists and camera crews that convoyed with them were actually made to exit their vehicles and be personally searched by the Egyptian Guards (not sure if it was local police/border guards/army). Noticed that Katie got out also as did the main guy for NBC. They said that a whole lot of journalists were just getting out and maybe leaving one crew in Cairo vs the multiple ones that they had in the city.

Yeah there are some Egyptians covering the events going on and posting their results on line that have been attacked but there have also been International Major Network (in their countries) people attacked. I think it has been less active today (Sat) there but it is still a major pressure cooker there. Not as many pro-Mubarak people have been seen the last 2 days and more ARMY (who seam to be backing the protestors) are there with tanks and full battle gear. In fact they have put tanks around the Cairo Museum, major repository of Egyptian History, to protect it. Some Mummies on Display were ripped open and many objects just smashed to the floor-they believe that a lot of gold items were taken in the early part of this action when people did break into the museum and pillaged it.