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After being turned away at two of the guarded entrances, team members arrived at the third entrance where they were joined by approximately 30 Americans. When access was denied, the Americans linked arms in groups of threes and marched to the gate where they held up their passports. Within a couple of minutes, one of the Americans was on the other side of the
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Since this area is recessed and not too visible from the street, the team decided to continue observing from the sidewalk in front of the area where the Americans were being detained. Team members felt it was important both to see and be seen, and the sidewalk gave them a good vantage point. Almost immediately, they were ordered to move off the sidewalk by one of the security personnel who demanded that they reenter the recessed area and join the others who were being barricaded.
There were two other American women, including one who walks with a cane, who were seated on the sidewalk. Plainclothes security forces, led by a man named Mr. S., physically shoved one of the women and shouted at her. As this occurred, MPT moved in between her and the men who were shoving her and, almost immediately, a police van arrived and two MPT members found themselves ringed and barricaded by a group of policemen.
Team members remained in this position for about two hours; they were physically restrained from taking photographs. At one point, when his supervisor was not looking, one police officer hummed along when those in the large pen began singing "We Shall Overcome." The attitude of those in charge - both uniformed and plainclothes - was another matter, however.
The team observed a young man who appeared to be of Arab ancestry shoved and screamed at by Mr. S. who then directed a group of security officers to pick the man up and hurl him to the ground. MPT members also saw a young woman of color dragging luggage behind her being shoved and pushed.
After a couple of hours, people were still being penned, but the tenor of the earlier part of the morning was much calmer. When the other MPT members arrived, they were ordered away from the area where the others were being barricaded. Crossing the street, they were met by a group of plainclothes officials, including Mr. S., who screamed at the team and then roughly pushed one team member.
The Team left wondering why a desire to visit one's embassy would prompt such a response, especially when other internationals were graciously received by their embassies?
Later that afternoon, the entire team headed to the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate for a press conference announcing the GFM hunger strike, initiated by Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate, Hedy Epstein. Standing on the marble steps of the large building, Hedy gave a statement to the press and the world that people are fasting for an end to the siege of Gaza. There are over twenty people in Cairo fasting for an end to siege, including two members from the Michigan Peace Team.
2+ interesting to read thru. Good pics Explains well role of MPT in a crowd. Good observing
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