Linux Beach: Egypt Protests Continue, Tunisia Wants Ben Ali Back

Today Egyptians continued their unprecedented demonstrations in opposition to the the 30 year old State of Emergency ban on unauthorized protests. We now know what happened after I lost web-cam contact with downtown Cairo [see yesterday's blog], the police moved in with tear gas, water hoses, rubber bullets and batons and attempted to clear the square. The France24 report below shows what happened. An NHK report I just heard [9:15 am] says that the streets have been cleared and shows long rows of police vans parked along the streets. I didn't know one city could have that many police vans. But activists are even now planning new protests on-line as the authorities futilely attempt to block Internet access.

Tunisia wants former President Ben Ali back. In handcuffs. The interim government has issued an international arrest warrant charging Ben Ali with looting the country. Protests continue with thousand reported fighting with riot police in Tunis and Stax, Tunisian's second largest city.
Obama supports Tunisian protest in his State of the Union speech.

Protests continue into the night in Cairo and Suez, despite the government's vow to stop them. Latest word [3:56pm pst] ids that road to Suez are blocked and Internet and cell phone are also down their.

Now videos not the struggle are starting to surface. This first one below is being called Egypt's Tiananmen moment as protesters face off with armored cars.

From WL Central:

Anonymous has joined in the protests, recruiting activists and delivering their now well-known wrath in the form of DDoS attacks on Egyptian websites:

Analysis from NetCraft shows server failure for Egypt's Ministry of the Interior (MOI) website, and other reports indicate that the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology may also have been targeted.

Attacks from Anonymous were direct results of Egyptian censorship. As of yesterday, access to Twitter has been blocked, while Youtube remains accessible. Vodafone Egypt was quoted as having denied allegations of censorship yesterday, stating: "We didn't block twitter - it's a problem all over Egypt and we are waiting for a solution." Yet Twitter confirmed "Tuesday that Egypt was indeed blocking access to their service. Access to the US-based social network Facebook was also reportedly cut off by early Tuesday."

Noon Update:

Egypt. Molotov Cocktails are thrown in Suez as the government tries to ban all demonstrations. Live ammunition is reportedly being used by police.
500 people report arrested in Egypt. Protest also continue in Cairo.
As Egypt attempts to block Internet access as Bill Clinton calls upon Egypt not to block access to social networking sites.
Whitehouse, France and Germany all issue statements asking Egypt to allow the protests.
Massive demonstrations in Egypt are being planned for Friday after pray in spite of government ban.

Tunisia. Ben Ali's loot is now being put at $50 billion.
As thousands continue to protest in Stax the curfew in Tunisia was eased.
General Strike in Tunisian town that started it all is planned for Thurday.

The two videos below are from this morning's France24 report. Yesterday France24 used pictures I posted here from Algeria, so I guess I can use their stuff. [I would anyway]

Also I am becoming a contributor to WikiLeaks Central so I will be reporting news over there as well and since that is considered the authoritative website for WikiLeaks. I will be keeping my opinions to the DailyKos.

Today on Al Jazeera:

Fresh anti-govt protests in Egypt

Fresh protests over living conditions and an autocratic government have broken out in Cairo a day after large and deadly demonstrations, calling for the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak, swept across the country.

More than 500 protesters were arrested by security forces as the government vowed to crackdown on them.

On Wednesday evening, thousands of demonstrators were spread throughout downtown Cairo after being dispersed by security forces. Many had gathered on Gelaa Street, near central Tahrir Square - the site of a violent early morning confrontation between security forces and protesters who had been planning to sleep the night in defiance of the government.

Police fired tear gas and broke up concrete to use as rocks to throw at protesters and "egg them on," Al Jazeera's Adam Makary reported.

Protesters lit a fire - possibly on a tyre - in the middle of a nearby street and were pelting police officers with stones, said Al Jazeera correspondent Rawya Rageh.

Clinton calls for reform in Egypt

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, has said that widespread anti-government protests over poverty and government repression in Egypt represent an opportunity for the 30-year administration of president Hosni Mubarak to implement "political, economic and social reforms to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people".

Tunisia seeks arrest of ex-leader

Tunisia wants to have ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his family arrested and put on trial for possession of expropriated property and for transferring foreign currency abroad, the nation's interim justice minister has said.

Interpol, the international police agency, has been asked to help arrest Ben Ali, his wife Leila Trabelsi and other family members who have fled the country, Lazhar Karoui Chebbi said on Wednesday.

Tunisia protests turn violent

Demonstrators have clashed with Tunisian police as peaceful protests demanding those loyal to the ousted government quit turned violent.

It was not clear how the clashes near the government offices in the capital, Tunis, began on Wednesday, but the Reuters news agency said that witnesses saw riot police use tear gas on hundreds of demonstrators, mainly teenagers and young men who threw stones.

As always. More, Later.

Egyptian Protests Day 2 France24 Report