Early on Tuesday morning, unidentified armed men attacked protesters holding a sit-in in Tahrir Square.
At 2am, around twenty armed men entered the square from behind the Egyptian museum and fired birdshot at protesters. Ten protesters were injured, in addition to a security guard working for Arab Contractors Company, who was shot in the neck.
The worker was transferred to the Arab Contractors hospital, which subsequently denied Al-Shorouk’s report claiming that the worker has died.
Ahmed Saeed, a protester who was in Tahrir Square at the time of the incident, said the clashes took place between protesters and armed men for one hour, resulting in 10 reported injuries. He confirmed that the Arab Contractors worker was shot in the neck and claimed that he is now clinically dead.
He added that protesters captured one of the attackers, whereas the others fled. Saeed affirmed he heard gunshots coming from several entrances of the square after the clashes ended. “We heard gunshots from Qasr Al-Aini, Qasr Al-Nile and Mohamed Mahmoud. We hurled to the entrances, but we couldn’t find anyone there.”
Protesters are currently keeping the captured armed man in a security tent inside the square. “He could be a thug, street vendor, Islamist, or anybody. We don’t know who he is so far,” according to Saeed.
Ahmed Doma, a revolutionary activist, asserted that he witnessed the whole incident, and denied that protesters were able to capture any of the attackers. He added that the attackers were masked, well-organised and quick. “This was an attempt to test the power of the square. If we couldn’t rebel against those attackers, the sit-in would have been stormed by many others.”
Doma said the total number of injuries is 11, adding that a child was shot in the eye during the clashes.
Tahrir Doctors’ Association said there were no doctors at the square during the clashes, and that injured protesters were either treated inside the square or transferred to Al-Moneera Public Hospital.
Mahmoud Saeed, director of reception and emergency at Al-Moneera Public Hospital, said they received four cases at 5am, one case with birdshot injuries to the arm, while the others suffered cuts and bruises. Saeed affirmed that the four cases left hospital after receiving treatment.
Protesters are holding a sit-in in Tahrir Square, rejecting President Morsy’s decisions and the new draft constitution scheduled for referendum on Saturday.
