The first reports began to emerge yesterday, with CNN’s Anderson Cooper describing being the victim of sucker-punches from pro-Mubarak forces while trying to cover the growing revolt in Tahrir Square. Today, the attacks have become virtually ubiquitous.
Reporters Without Borders has issued a statement expressing horror at “what appears to be an all-out witch-hunt against news media” in Egypt and reports have emerged from major and minor media outlets the world over of attacks and threats against their employees on the ground.
ABC News is reporting that reporter Brian Hartman and his entourage were car-jacked at a checkpoint in Cairo and that the attackers threatened to “behead” him before his cameraman intervened and convinced the attackers to spare them.
Other reports detail the thrashing of a number of journalists and photographers by the forces, apparently angry at the foreign coverage of the massive pro-democracy protests. The Egyptian government has accused foreign journalists of plotting to force Mubarak out.
Which makes reports of security forces rounding up foreign journalists all the more ominous, even if some are speculating they’ve been detained “for their own protection.” Dozens of journalists have been disappeared off the streets by troops, and dozens of others beaten for their roles in covering the protests.
The Dark Forces learned a valuable lesson in Egypt: whatever you do, do not allow the press in. I watched the events unfold with great interest and noticed the way the Egyptian state teevee showed old pictures/tapes taken when everything was normal. In fact, during the height of the protests, Al Jazeera showed a side by side pic of what was really happening vs. what the state media was showing and it was unbelievable. They accelerated it and when they unleashed the violent attacks on the protesters, then, they were showing the peaceful demonstrations. It was surreal! It was then that I realize FAUX News exclusive role in the dying empire today. They are state teevee. When the killing starts, they will be showing pic of people going shopping or to sports events.
It seems that Mubarak has tried to learn a few lessons in information control from his friends in Tel Aviv- too bad he's not really good at it and the true story about his anti-media thugs is out already. Time to go, buddy- time to go… the clock is ticking.
Mubarak has unleashed his thug methods – usually reserved for Egyptians – on citizens from around the world – wow, what a PR move that was. what capital in the world would receive him ever again after this atrocious behavior? This scumbag dictator has really sealed his own fate with this childish, antisocial stunt.
What did those reporters expect when the tear gas canisters are stamped, "made in America." It is not as if reporters are are morally pure given their role as public relations for US establishment. Even if it is Mubarak's thugs doing the beating, call it karma.
Sorry, don't have much sympathy for the media and their self-serving victimization. When people are brutalized, media zombies stand there trying to get the most bloody pictures. When one of them happens to get punched it's the greatest tragedy on earth. They deserve to get their end every once in while, too.