Protesters take a shield in the clashes(Photo:AP)
A group of activists and politicians visited Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Sunday in hopes of brokering a truce between anti-government protesters and security forces. The initiative follows three days of clashes outside the nearby Cabinet building that have left at least ten people dead.
Protesters have reportedly rejected talk of a truce, however, demanding immediate justice for those killed in the recent violence. Some demonstrators even reportedly attacked members of the delegation, which included recently-elected members of parliament Amr Hamzawy and Mustafa El-Naggar, and prominent activist Wael Ghoneim.
El-Naggar told Ahram Online that Hamzawy had briefly scuffled with protesters in the square. He went on to say that protesters were “extremely angry” and were demanding that security forces halt their attacks on protesters before the discussion of any proposed truce.
Other members of the delegation included parliamentary candidates Ziad Eleimy and Ziad Bahaa El-Din; political analyst and former advisory council member Moatez Abdel Fatah; filmmaker/activist Mohamed Diab; and Muslim preacher Moaz Masoud.
According to El-Naggar, the delegation had approached the army and interior ministry in hopes of discussing a proposed ceasefire. While these talks reportedly remain ongoing, few details have emerged.
As of press time, clashes were still being reported between protesters and security forces – with the latter including both military units and the interior ministry’s Central Security Forces – on Qasr El-Aini Street and Sheikh Rihan Street.
Would-be presidential contender Hamdeen Sabahi also reportedly showed up in Tahrir Square on Sunday to urge an end to the violence. He has called for the creation of a “human shield” to separate protesters and security forces.
Nour Party Chairman Emad Abdel Ghafour, along with a group of Nour Party MPs, also headed to the square on Sunday to support attempts to forge a truce.
The number of protesters in the area, meanwhile, continues to rise, as new groups of activists intermittently show up to the flashpoint square.
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