[parurorges]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ob-egypt-95628

Anderson Cooper Attacked by Mob in Egypt

8:56 AM 2/2/2011

by Lindsay Powers

The anchor was "punched 10 times in the head," CNN producer Steve Brusk Tweeted.

Anderson Cooper was attacked in Egypt Wednesday.

CNN producer Steve Brusk Tweeted, "Anderson said he was punched 10 times in the head as pro-Mubarak mob surrounded him and his crew trying to cover demonstration."

Cooper then escaped to the roof of a nearby building, where he said on air that he and his crew were trying to get to a neutral zone between protestors and pro-Mubarak supporters when they "were set upon by pro-Mubarak supporters punching us in the head. The crowd kept growing, kept throwing punches, kicks...suddenly a young man would look at you and punch you in the face."

Cooper told CNN's live blog that the attackers "pushed and shoved the CNN crew and punched them in the head... but no one was seriously hurt."

Added Brusk on Twitter, "Live images now of crowds on opposite side of trucks throwing rocks. A CNN reporter called earlier scene snowball fight with rocks."

CNN's Ben Wedeman told the blog that "he overheard a panicked army officer say the situation was out of control and there was nothing the army could do to restore order."

Cooper landed in the country Sunday night to cover the protests againt President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power for 30 years.

[Sertvfdnhgjk]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/egypt...ry?id=12820590

Media Become a Target as Egypt Protests Turn Violent

Pro- and Anti-Mubarak Crowds Collide in the Worst Clashes Since Friday

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

By CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR

CAIRO, Feb. 2, 2011

The worst clashes in a week erupted today in Cairo with pro-Mubarak mobs rushing Tahrir (Liberation) Square in an effort to wrest the area from the anti-government demonstrators.

It did not look to be a spontaneous eruption. It appeared to be deliberately orchestrated political theater, a planned and organized bid by supporters of President Hosni Mubarak to send a message. The stage for the violence, Tahrir Square, was in full view of the world audience.

Anti-government demonstrators have occupied the square for more than a week.

The group rushing the square all came from one area and it happened all at once. As we stood on the roof of Associated Press television headquarters preparing to do a broadcast, we could see that down on the street, the throngs protesting had gone from a couple of hundred pro-Mubarak people to what looked thousands, all in very short order.

Then we saw men on horseback and camels rushing the square. The whole thing had the feel of an organized band of thugs moving in. That was when the pro- and anti-government demonstrators began fighting, throwing bricks with the army standing by.

Around 4 p.m., we started to hear gunshots and we could not be sure where they were coming from.

[Biashpainabix]

http://www.moonbattery.com/anderson-cooper-victim.jpg Why would Muslim hooligans want to beat up this guy?

I guess CNN doesn't realize that Arabs aren't exactly "Gay friendly", if you catch my drift.

[sestomosi]

I guess CNN doesn't realize that Arabs aren't exactly "Gay friendly", if you catch my drift.

That's not "drift." Drift is subtle.

The attack surely had far more to do with the fact that the Mubarak thugs don't want the truth about their actions getting out to the world than to anyone's sexual orientation.

And, as an aside, I've generally found that the people who make the most comments in this area seem to be the ones with the most doubts about themselves.

If you catch my drift.

[Thomas12400]

Yeah, Brad's been hovering in Ted Haggard territory for a long time.

[Grapappytek]

Of course, his headline glosses over the fact the original protestors aren't the ones attacking, but the presidential sympathizers.

[7UENf0w7]

Of course, his headline glosses over the fact the original protestors aren't the ones attacking, but the presidential sympathizers.

I've updated the thread subject with the current state of information. I seriously doubt that he realized that distinction. He's posted plenty of stories that completely refute his headline.

The Washington Post has filed an update: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/blo...rmy_steps.html

On Wednesday, a number of journalists, including our correspondents, were attacked by angry pro-Mubarak supporters in Tahrir Square. A number of foreign reporters were injured, and Al-Arabiya TV correspondent Ahmed Abdullah was severely beaten. "Mubarak thugs targeted journalists, to keep us from covering his crackdown," New York Times columnist wrote on Twitter Wednesday night. "Hmph. Makes us all the more determined."

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley acknowledged on Twitter about a half hour ago that this was an intimidation campaign to scare journalists.

Now, there are reports Thursday that Egyptian journalists and human right workers are being arrested. The popular Egyptian blogger who goes by the name "Sandmonkey" has been reported missing by his friends after he left for Tahrir Square with medical supplies to help the injured. Al Jazeera reports that security forces have arrested two people at an Egyptian human rights group.

Hadeel Al Shalchi, a correspondent for the Associated Press wrote on Twitter that the military is taking journalists into "protective custody."

[SHUSIATULSE]

And more.....

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news...t.Journalists/

[JonDopl]

Al Jazeera's live English feed is available here: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[serius_06]

To reiterate the pointlessness of Brad's assertion that Cooper and Amanpour were targetted by the original protestors, here's word that Fox News is seen as identical to CNN by the pro-Mubarak forces who are trying to shut down coverage.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-news-...ized-in-cairo/

The attacks on journalists covering the protests in Egypt have escalated, with reports Fox News correspondent Greg Palkot and his photographer Olaf Wiig have been severely beaten in an attack in Cairo. Fox News anchor John Roberts described the attack today, saying Palkot and Wiig were left with “fairly grave” injuries but have now been released from the hospital.

Palkot, who’s been in the center of the protests in Cairo for days, became cornered by pro-government forces, according to Roberts:They were forced to leave their position when a Molotov cocktail was thrown at it, a large fire erupted. They were forced to flee. They ran out and ran right into the pro Mubarak crowd and were severely beaten and had to be taken to the hospital, spent the night in the hospital. The extent of their injuries was fairly grave, however, they have been released from the hospital.The attack on the Fox crew comes as journalists report intensified hostility and violence directed their way, and American networks are working to ensure the safety of their crews.

[en-druzhba]

ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ry?id=12832774

A group of angry Egyptian men carjacked an ABC News crew and threatened to behead them today in the latest and most menacing attack on foreign reporters trying to cover the anti-government uprising.

Producer Brian Hartman, cameraman Akram Abi-hanna and two other ABC News employees were surrounded on a crowded road that leads from Cairo's airport to the city's downtown area.

[RicardoHun]

ABC World News is maintaining a list on their Tumblr blog of known reporter attacks during this period in Egypt.

http://abcworldnews.tumblr.com/post/...journalist-who

[Poll Pitt]

With all this non-stop and ever-escalating protesting taking place how do they manage to keep their grocery store shelves stocked, etc (the list of basic necessities goes on...)? Dont these people realise they're shooting themselves in the foot and have yet to feel the oncoming pain? Not a pretty picture to begin with and its only going to get uglier I'm afraid.

[Lauramalina]

I've seen reports that the entire commerce and social infrastructure has shut down. Stores are closed, shelves are bare, schools are closed. Everyone's hunkered down in their homes or out in the street.