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Egyptian
Celebrities Lead Massive Demonstration Towards Israeli Embassy
CAIRO,
April 1 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – A massive demonstration
took place Monday, April 1, in front of Cairo University, in which
thousands of protestors headed towards the Israeli embassy in Cairo,
which lies almost 200 meters away from the university.
In
one of the largest and most violent protests here since the
Palestinian uprising erupted 18 months ago, it was estimated nearly
20,000 people gathered inside and outside Cairo University, Agence
France-Presse (AFP) reported.
The
demonstrators included university students, public figures, and
artists. Famous personalities such as the world-renowned Egyptian film
director, Youssef Shahin, the director Khaled Youssef, the Tunisian
singer Latifa, and the Egyptian actress Hanan Turk.
The
demonstrators insisted on heading towards the Israeli embassy despite
efforts by state security police to stop them.
Police
fired tear gas and water cannons on the crowds in the hopes that they
would disperse, injuring five people.
The
security forces failed to prevent an outlet of the U.S. Kentucky Fried
Chicken chain from being trashed by demonstrators near the university
economics and politics faculty after they broke windows.
Complaining
about police brutality, an injured Shahin told AFP "They hit
students who wanted to leave the university," adding the police
were too "severe."
An
AFP reporter saw an ambulance rush off with a teenage girl, her face
bleeding apparently after she was hit by a club.
Four
more people were treated on the scene for the effects of teargas. "Traitors,
first turn against the Jews," shouted protestors, including
passers-by who joined the demonstration, at the riot police.
Riot
police fired many tear-gas grenades before spraying water cannon at
the protestors, who fled in all directions near the university.
The
demonstrators had initially joined hands to prevent fire trucks from
dispersing them.
Witnesses
said there were also protests at the American University in Cairo as
well as at the posh Gezira Club, AFP reported.
In
another development, the Egyptian Women’s Cinema Association, headed
by the actress Magda Al-Khateeb, sent telegrams to world leaders and
Europe and international organizations, as well as the United Nations
Monday, April 1, demanding they stop Israel’s war on the
Palestinians.
With
additional reporting by Ahmed Al-Sayed, IOL Egypt correspondent
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