Egyptians form human shield to protect museum

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Euronews

One Cairo building that has been spared so far in the anti-government protests is the Egyptian Museum, despite a fire raging at the ruling National Democratic Party office nearby.

Locals were determined to protect national treasures.

“We are Egyptians and this is the Egyptian Museum,” said one man.

“We are standing here and calling for the army to come as soon as possible and we will not leave until the army arrives.”

Read more: http://www.euronews.net/2011/01/29/egyptians-form-human-shield-to-protect-museum/

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Army secures Egyptian Museum in Cairo, protecting pharaoh treasures including death mask of boy king Tutankhamun - Reuters

http://www.breakingnews.com/seed/ahBicmVha2luZ25ld3Mtd3d3cg0LEgRTZWVkGLWLqAIM/2011/01/28/army-secures-egyptian-museum-in-cairo-protecting-pharaoh-treasures-including-death-mask-of-boy-king-tutankhamun-reuters

[xchrom]

1. ...

:applause:

[LawnKorn]

2. They must have heard about Bush letting the Iraqi museums be looted

[leftynyc]

50. What does that have to do with Egypt?

More strawmen on this site in last 4 days than in the prior ten years.

[FailureToCommunicate]

3. Just heard that the burning buildings nearby could cause damage if they collapse.

Damage to the museum, that is. Fire crews are being brought in at this time. (sorry, no link -heard on NPR- from their on the scene reporter)

[roamer65]

4. Amazing story. Mubarak needs to just leave...right now.

For the sake of his country and its people who want to be free from his tyranny, he needs to leave.

[totodeinhere]

38. It's only a matter of time before that happens. But the question is,

who will follow him? I hope it's not a fundamentalist Islamic regime. I hope that the country can remain secular.

[Joanne98]

5. Good.

[jbeing]

6. K&R - Amazing

Protecting your heritage, your history, your civilization and your rights - how amazingly civilized.

Taking time in the middle of a riot to stop everything and pray -- how amazingly devout.

Facing down fascism in the street -- how amazingly courageous.

Waiting for the Repubs and Tea Partiers to call Egyptians ungodly savage -- priceless.

My respect for the Egyptians and the other people in the region wanting freedom has grown immensely. (And I mean freedom from corporatism and dictatorship).

When do we Americans start to show courage to power?

Sorry, but the people who are in the streets now have filled my heart with hope.

[molly77]

8. jbeing

Well stated.

"When do we Americans start to show courage to power?"

Won't be long. Just about the time that services are cut and the military spending remains sky high.

[donquijoterocket]

19. not the first

time something of this sort has happened in that country. Egyptian Muslims offered themselves as human shields for Coptic Christians in the face of threats against that minority
http://www.metrolic.com/egyptian-muslim-protect-coptic-christians-on-christmas-day-155882/
All in all I'd say they were a much more civilized nation than we'd give them credit for and with a sense of their history and the humanity embodied there none of which prevents us from supplying the government with tear gas to disperse the crowds seeking justice.

[jbeing]

27. You're right

I forgot about the Egyptians protecting the Coptic Christians. Even as hard as life is for them, they have love, hope and respect for others in their hearts. Contrast that with the hopelessness and hate you see in this country. We could learn so much from them.

[No Elephants]

35. And Christian Egyptians later guarded praying Muslim Egyptians.

[jwirr]

32. You have stated it so clearly. They are not a bunch of rioters. They

are truly freedom fighters. They know where they want to be when this is over.

[leftynyc]

51. As long as it includes

freedom for women, gays and minorities. Meaning freedom from religous freaks.

[FourScore]

7. Thank you!!!!

Your historical treasures are some of the most awe-inspiring in the world.

[eye of a stranger]

9. health and welfare

has there been any commo to the region,to check on family members in gaza,as to helth and welfare??if so how do i get to it..thanks all..or in ciro??...have a friend that wants to check on family thee..

[dipsydoodle]

10. You might find something here

http://www.google.com/search?q=%23Jan25+site:twitter.com&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=1&num=100&hl=en&sa=G&biw=1280&bih=705&ei=_MdATZzzH8KVcYGg_Y0C&ved=0CF0QsQcwBQ

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lucky Luciano]

12. Good. That is an amazing museum.

[Joanne98]

13. Breaking: There's a report that there's a fire in the museum

State security offices in Alexandria were set on fire this morning, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm reporters.

Sounds of live ammunition could also be heard.

The fire service is currently in the process of stopping a large fire in a museum.

Army trucks were spotted sporadically in the city, particularly in central areas such as downtown, around the Alexandria tribunal, and the governorate's administrative building.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/alexandria-state-security-offices-museum-fire

[KamaAina]

36. That would be a different museum

Alexandria is on the Mediterranean coast well north of Cairo. Of course, it, too, has a remarkable collection of antiquities, from the later Ptolemaic period, so that's still not good. :scared:

[bklyncowgirl]

14. Two mummies were destroyed by looters according to SCA head Dr. Zahi Hawass

Protestors formed a human shield in front of the museum's main entrance but some looters managed to get in from above. They destroyed two mummies and ransacked the ticket office.

The army is now stationed in front of the museum.


http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/29/us-egypt-museum-idUSTRE70S1YU20110129

[Turborama]

15. He told "state television"

Do you think he might have a political agenda, perhaps?

He's the Vice Minister of Culture in Egypt. Part of the government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahi_Hawass

[bklyncowgirl]

18. Actually Hawass praised the protestors who blocked the entrance

Admittedly he called them "citizens" not protestors, but gives them credit along with the tourist police (museum guards) for holding off a much worse situation until the army arrived.

I think we can make a distinction between protestors and thugs who take advantage of chaos to loot and destroy national (and in this case) world heritage treasures.

Zahi Hawass is a Mubarek appointee but I believe he has a genuine passion for his country's ancient history.

[Turborama]

21. I'm sure he has a genuine passion for his country's ancient history.

I'm also sure he has a genuine passion for holding onto his position.

[bklyncowgirl]

24. Absolutely, I predict whatever the outcome, Dr. Hawass will end up on the winning side. nt

[kiva]

25. And you know that he's lying how?

:shrug: Do you really think in any group as large as the protesters in Cairo that there aren't a few who are greedy enough to take advantage of the situation? Hawass, the media, and (as far as I can tell) everyone here recognizes that the museum was protected by protesters, that the majority of protesters are genuinely committed to reform - that does not mean that a handful of people won't try to make some money off of the chaos.

[Turborama]

26. I didn't say I "know" he's lying. I am suspicious. Just seen footage, it was vandalism.

Now, why would the protesters break into the museum to vandalize the artifacts in there?

There have been no police on the streets for hours. Apparently gangs of criminals are "looting" all over Cairo, while citizens chant "No Looting!"

I strongly suspect this is part of Mubarak's plan to discredit the protesters.

Follow it live here: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now

Scenes like this were predicted the other day: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x290311

[Xithras]

40. I doubt it's the protesters OR the government behind this.

Every society has a criminal underclass, and criminals tend to be opportunists. What better time to rob a museum than in the middle of a nationwide protest when police response will be nearly nonexistent? There are underground collectors who will pay millions for some of the pieces in Cairo's museums (Tut's death mask alone is estimated to be worth about $250 MILLION dollars), and criminals who specialize in artifact theft are staring at a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's absolutely no suprise to hear that they're on the move.

[Akoto]

41. Are you kidding?

Would the genuine protesters want to vandalize the museum? No, I don't think so, but I'm sure there are lots of thieves who're drooling over the opportunity this chaos might provide. Some of the things on display in there are priceless relics.

As for Hawass, I do not believe he has any ill intentions at all. I've seen him on television, I've read his works, and he seems to simply have a passion for what he does.

[Turborama]

43. No, I'm not. It was vandalism and nothing was stolen.

I believe it was an action carried out by government plain clothed thugs trying to discredit the protesters.

[Blacksheep214]

16. Can you imagine how Hawass feels?

The Dr. must be having extreme panic attacks from worry.

Imagine Dr Hawass with an AK holding off looters and vandals! I smell screenplay!

Seriously, this is unconscionable to steal or destroy ones history. A little honor please!

[bklyncowgirl]

22. From "Chasing Mummies" to "Chasing Looters"

Yeah, I could see that. Hawass is a consumate showman and this has annoyed some in archaeological circles but deep down he has a passion for his country's past. He's also a smart politician who, whatever happens will probably manage to end up on the right side.

[tigereye]

20. why would they destroy mummies?

That's crazy. We figured Hawass would be there on the front lines somewhere.

[bklyncowgirl]

23. Mummies were buried with valuable amulets and jewelry

Most likely any mummies in the museum would have been picked clean long ago, but if these were recently discovered mummies they might still be intact with all of their jewels and amulets still wrapped in their bandages. Modern archaeologists use x-rays and CAT scans to examine these human remains instead of physically unwapping the bodies.

A thief might never be able to fence King Tut's gold mask but some nice little amulets and scarabs could be easily sold for big bucks. They might also have been easy pickings, in a less secure area and easily got at.

Since they also trashed the ticket office where you'd expect to find money, it seems like these were your basic thugs taking advantage of the chaos to break into one of the world's biggest treasure troves.

Kudos to the protestors who managed to stop what would have been a much worse disaster.

[NoodleyAppendage]

33. Hawass is a massive jerk. Strict cultural repatriation puts antiquities at risk.

Hawass recently complained that NYC wasn't taking care of the Isis Obelisk near the Met and warned that Egypt may ask for it back...after it was gifted to NYC many decades ago. He has also repeatedly threatened to "steal back" the famed Cleopatra Bust from Berlin, Germany. So, let's assume that Hawass was 100% effective in returning all Egyptian antiquities back to Egypt, what good would that do to the world if all of those antiquities were destroyed during political and economic unrest? The burning of the Library of Alexandria comes immediately to mind.

The Egyptian unrest is a salient counterpoint to those who would argue for strict cultural repatriation. Maybe it is wiser to distribute world cultural heritage around a bit to insure that something is saved when political entities and nation states go under.

J

[LibertyLover]

46. The bust is of Nefertiti

the pharaoh Akhenaten's Great Royal Wife, not Cleopatra. I've seen it in Berlin and it is magnificent. I am not a Hawass fan, although I respect his passion for ancient Egypt, and I'm not a fan of repatriation. But I will say that in the case of the bust of Nefertiti, Hawass may have a point. Apparently the German excavating team that found it at Tell-el-Amarna pulled a fast one on the Egyptian antiquities inspectors when it came to the bust, making it look as if it were nothing special and then unveiling it in all its glory in Berlin.

[NoodleyAppendage]

47. Thanks for the correction. Damage Pictures Included.

Regardless of what was done in the past, I'm quite happy with the knowledge that the Nefertiti Bust is safe and sound in Berlin.

From the posts and pictures, I've seen so far the damage at the Cairo Museum is being downplayed by Hawass and others.

See here: http://hyperallergic.com/17815/egyptian-museum-damage/

[LibertyLover]

49. After having seen some of the shots of the damage,

I agree that its severity is being downplayed. I'm worried about the 2 mummies that were ransacked. The authorities are not releasing details, but in one of the photos Bob Brier, an Egyptologist at Long Island University, pointed out a piece of jewelry on the floor and mentioned that it had been on the mummy of Tutankhamon's great grandmother. He didn't mention which one, but I think it had been on Thuya's mummy. I've been to the Cairo Museum a number of times and it is a treasure trove. Seeing the model of the ship destroyed really hurt.

[Catherina]

45. He clarified on Al Jazeera, not destroyed, but damaged. n/t

[DrDan]

17. I have spent hours in that museum - what a shame it would be to have any damage

[underseasurveyor]

28. It would be more than a shame if those treasures were damaged or lost forever

It would be a tragic loss not only to Egypt but to all the world... and beyond.

[MasonJar]

29. Thank God. The 2000 plus year old treasures of the Fertile Crescent

were destroyed and looted due to the stupidity of Bushista. I am glad the Egyptians are protecting their heritage.

[lanlady]

30. CNN showing photos of smashed display cases

and broken statues. Please, please let it not be so. I had the enormous pleasure of visiting the Egyptian Museum last year -- it would be an unspeakable tragedy if it is being looted.

[jwirr]

31. They remember the looting of the museum in Iraq. Good for them.

[snot]

34. Hope it's working today, since there are reports that undercover cops are looting to try to

discredit the protesters.

[think4yourself]

37. Something is not right

The whole news video seemed kind of weird to me. There were quite a few cases that were merely broken and most if not all the items still remained in there.
Just seemed dubious to me.

I've been glued to Al jazeera! From the start, the protestors protected the museum. I was just amazed by the organization and priorities of them. So inspiring.
People are catching these looters and guess what, they're police.

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[bklyncowgirl]

39. Egyptology blogs reporting some of Tutankhamuns treasures damaged

Al Jazeera has pictures of some of the damaged figures. Apparently a mix of protestors turned museum defenders and soldiers caught the vandals. They ripped the heads off of two unidentified mummys. Hawass calling for more troops to defend cultural institutions.

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/

[AnnieBW]

42. I hope Sekhmet puts a hurtin' on those looters!

The Goddess with the head of a lioness, and the temperament to match.

[alittlelark]

44. The Iraqi museums were a lesson.....

they paid attention.

[X_Digger]

48. Amazing. k&r