Dozens of protesters on Monday continued their sit-in outside Egypt’s state TV building to demand purging state media of anti-revolutionary officials and urge for a faster transfer from military rule.
Calm prevailed at the sit-in, which started Friday. Protesters had built more tents after heavy rain late Sunday. Some quarrels started in the morning between protesters and street vendors using the areas protesters wanted to use for the sit-in.
A number of residents of the nearby Bulaq Abul Ela neighborhood joined the sit-in to stress their rejection of assaults against demonstrators. On Sunday, unknown attackers hurled stones and empty bottles, mildly injuring some of the demonstrators.
The Maspero state TV building sit-in is part of a series of protests against the rule of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces following the first anniversary of the 25 January revolution, which toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
State television had covertly criticized demonstrators on Wednesday for not participating in 25 January celebrations called for by the military council.
It had faced staunch criticism for remarks by presenters, which incited attacks on a Coptic-led demonstration in front of the building on 9 October. During that protest, 27 people were killed, including activist Mina Daniel.
Activist Alaa Abd El Fattah, during an interview with a state TV channel Friday, said state TV has exercised a “systematic strategy” to tell lies with its news coverage and persistently tarnishes the image of protesters.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
