CAIRO: Egyptian security forces on Saturday morning went on the offensive against protesters who had been clashing with police for nearly three straight days, clearing the streets leading the US Embassy in Cairo and Tahrir Square. The scene on the streets surrounding the clashes are full of debris, broken sidewalks and rubbish as three days of violence once again took its toll on downtown Cairo. The police destroyed vendors' stands and took down banners and posters that had marked the square during the past few days of anti-American demonstrations. According to eyewitnesses, “there were many non-uniformed police carrying sticks and batons with the police during the raid.” One eyewitness told Bikyamasr.com that “this is finally over and now we have to once again clean up this area. It is frustrating that the police and protesters just don't understand things. I don't understand why the police didn't do this earlier and allowed for the violence to go on for so long.” The violence had begun on Wednesday after police fired tear gas at a peaceful demonstration in an effort to disperse the crowd as they converged on the US Embassy in Cairo, but the result saw thousands of predominantly youth take to the streets and throw stones at the police, who in turn threw stones and tear gas back at the protesters.
