Embattled Egyptian dictator Hosny Mubarak played his usual game: attacking peaceful civilians and citizens with paid thugs and secret police, both posing as civilians and in this case, as "pro-Mubarak protesters".
For those journalists who worry that these could be genuine citizens who want Mubarak in power, let this be proof to their cluelessness: those "pro-Mubarak protesters" were all armed. They were mostly paid goons, thugs who were sent by the Ministry of Interior to drive the protestors out with violence, and "support" Mubarak's ruthless dictatorship with violence.
Thousands - by Egypt's Health Ministry estimate, 5,000, but probably more - were injured, some critically, and at least five were killed. Chaos erupted in the streets. Some of the goons arrived, ploughing through the crowd on horseback and camelback, some cracking whips. Brave protesters pulled them off their horses/camels, and subdued them, turning some to the army, but keeping most of the attackers in a makeshift detention area in Tahrir Square.
There was also a concerted effort by Mubarak and his goons to attack journalists, as well as anyone who "looked foreign". Anderson Cooper of CNN was one of the more prominent victims of this violence, though he returned to the air later from an undisclosed "safe" location in Cairo (presumably). As many as 26 (or more) journalists were either beaten up or detained, hooded and interrogated in unknown locations. Protesters took down the license plate number of a car from which an official-looking individual was seen paying money to some of the thugs that had been violent with pro-Democracy protesters.
This is clearly a case of peaceful pro-Democracy protestors who want an end to the brutal dictatorship being roughed up and threatened by dictator Mubarak. It also shows that he wants to brutalize his people without journalists reporting it. It is also a sign that Mubarak wants to show off to the West his anger at their abandonment of his repressive regime (in calling for reform, to step down, etc.) after years of his being their man in the middle east, doing favors for them, clamping down on Muslims in the so-called War on Terror, and torturing terror suspects for the West. In other words, he's angry that the West is now abandoning their pet goon.
But the protestors have retaken Tahrir Square, pushed out the goons, and set up hospital areas to treat the wounded, and responded to the situation in the most admirable, civilized, and cooperative way. This bodes well for Egypt.
But the battle for Egypt has just begun. The pro-Democracy movement in the streets will not back down, saying they will die for their freedom and that of their children. Mubarak says he will not step down or there will be chaos. It's obvious now to the world that the only chaos is coming from his side.
Victory to democracy in Egypt. It is and will be a model of liberty for the world.
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