By Marwa Al-A’asar
SUEZ, Egypt: Around 1,000 demonstrators clashed with security forces in Al-Arbeen Square and Al-Geish Street in the northern city of Suez Thursday, protesting the security’s alleged use of live ammunition during earlier protests which killed four people.
A police station was set on fire as families of the victims who died in clashes with security on Tuesday threw Molotov cocktails and stones at Al-Arbeen police station.
The fire department was also set ablaze by demonstrators demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
One hundred lawyers gathered in front of the police station to demand the release of detained protestors.
Clashes broke out between protestors and security forces in Al-Geish Street where teargas was used to disperse the crowds, who wore masks and hurled stones from nearby alleys.
Suez witnessed the most intense clashes since nationwide demonstrations broke out on Tuesday demanding jobs, civil rights and an end to the Mubarak regime. The use of live ammunition resulted in dozens of casualties, including a 12-year-old child, and four deaths.
“Our living conditions are hard; we are unemployed and can’t afford to get married and we want change,” one protestor said.
Medical sources in the city told Daily News Egypt that the number of those injured since Tuesday has reached 190.
“Fifteen minutes before the clashes began, more than 14 ambulances cars deployed,” the source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Protestors said they weren’t affiliated with any political party or opposition movement but they were protesting against security’s use of violence although the protests were peaceful.
According to the Associated Press, about 1,000 people had gathered in front of the morgue Wednesday night chanting anti-government slogans and calling “God is Great” as they waited for the release of Gharib Abdelaziz, a 45-year-old baker who became the third person killed by police in Suez when he was shot in the stomach during a protest.
A burning tire and rocks litter the streets as protestors clash with anti-riot police in Suez on Jan. 27. (AFP Photo/Khaled Desouki)
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Angry protestors shout anti-government slogans during a protest in Suez, Thursday, Jan. 27. (AP Photo)
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Smoke billows from a fire station set ablaze by Egyptian demonstrators demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak battle police in Suez on Jan.27. (AFP Photo/Khaled Desouki)
