Although the disappearance of the police forces across Egypt on the fourth day of the demonstrations remains a huge mystery, Jailan Halawi attempts an explanation The intriguing withdrawal of the security apparatus on 28 January and the consequent escape of prisoners from police stations and prisons around Egypt's governorates remain a mystery. While the public and authorities remain divided about the cause behind the sudden and shocking disappearance of the police, investigations are currently checking into whether this was the outcome of a conspiracy, an act of treason, a reflection of a spent and unqualified force, or a system that failed to manage the crisis properly. According to a security source who preferred anonymity, the monumental collapse was due to the extreme fatigue of the security forces that remained on the streets for four days -- from 25 January onwards without proper rest or adequate food and little or no sleep, all the while in constant confrontation with the flood of protesters who vastly outnumbered them. "We were neither informed nor prepared for a demonstration of such intensity and perseverance. The people we saw came from all walks of life and seemed to care less whether they lived or died," said Lieutenant Mohamed whose main task was to secure vital targets including universities and embassies. Mohamed was guarding one of the downtown embassies on 25 January when he was summoned for Tahrir Square duty. His group consisted of two young officers and around 50 rank and file unarmed soldiers who did not even have helmets or shields for protection. Their instructions were clear: "Do not interfere with or hit anyone." Their task was simply to keep protesters from entering Tahrir Square except from Qasr Al-Nil Street. Yet, the protesters, who outnumbered the police forces, managed to squeeze through police barricades and then somehow things got out of hand. According to Mohamed, it was the protesters who started by throwing stones at the police forces who in defence fired tear gas to disperse the crowds. "They [protesters] threw them [the tear gas bombs] back at us which worsened our situation," he explained. The confrontation left scores of protesters and soldiers injured including the lieutenant. However, eyewitnesses have a different take on the story, saying the demonstration was entirely peaceful and that the protesters started throwing stones only in defence of themselves in the face of tear gas bombs and live ammunition. It was on the fourth day of the clashes that the situation reached a crescendo when police forces used excessive tear gas and gunfire was heard everywhere, whether that of rubber bullets or live ammunition. Shortly before dusk there were hardly any police forces apparent in the field except for those who took off their uniforms and joined in with protesters and those trying to escape the masses. Reports of prisoners escaping from jail cells and police stations looted and set ablaze broke around the country. Chaos reigned supreme especially after police forces vanished in the blink of an eye from all points, leaving citizens panicking. For almost five hours Egypt remained without a security system until the army deployed. The big question remains: where did the police go? It was as if the whole apparatus dissolved. Not a single policeman or officer could be seen in the streets of Egypt, and worse, no senior ranking official bothered to provide an explanation to the public. According to one police officer speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly on condition of anonymity, the orders they received were to stop the demonstration at any cost. Some officers opted to defy orders, preferring to withdraw than engage in a battle with their fellow citizens while others fled to escape the wrath of the masses. Other officers said they received no instructions at all from their commanders, especially those left with little ammunition and forces at prisons and police stations. "Most officers were summoned to go to protests around the governorates, even the forces which were guarding vital establishments and prisons. There was no way that officers with few arms and unarmed soldiers could fight scores of thugs who broke into a police station to free their relatives and friends," said one police officer. The officer explained how they were not trained or prepared to face such a situation. "We did not know what to do and our leaders disappeared so we left to save our lives and avoid more bloodshed." The public however, has another explanation. While some of the people interviewed verified the officers' stories, many others believed that such a mass withdrawal was planned. "The regime wanted to send us a message that if the police leave our lives will be at risk," Farida, an engineer, said. "They [the regime] wanted to keep us busy looking after our children's safety and thus end the demos. They are the ones who stood to benefit most from such chaos for they imagined that it would serve them best in sticking to their posts under the pretext of maintaining national security." Reportedly, many policemen and rank and file soldiers in plain clothes have been arrested by citizens and confessed to being instructed by their seniors to spread a state of panic and chaos among the public, although nothing as such has been proven. Police forces are back on the streets but not in full force. The army is still in charge of securing most of the country's vital establishments. According to reports from security sources, hundreds of police officers have submitted their resignation and thousands of rank and file soldiers have abstained from returning to their units and have gone home. Security experts believe the security apparatus needs a complete revamp among its hierarchy and a major change in strategy. "The Ministry [of Interior] needs to acknowledge its forces' needs and re-consider its tactics. We also need to work on the lost trust between our forces and the people." Until the riddle is solved, former minister of interior Habib El-Adli is currently under house arrest, banned from travel. His assets are frozen and is being interrogated along with three of his top aides. Mahmoud Wagdi is the new minister of interior.
