The popular uprising in Egypt has turned violent. Hosni Mubarak's supporters, some riding camels and horses, ran riot in Tahrir (Liberation) Square.
So far, five people have been killed and more than 800 injured. The violence and fires are erupting right outside the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities.
CNN reported:
A tree outside Cairo's Egyptian Museum appears to be on fire, and Molotov cocktails still occasionally are being thrown between groups of protesters.
People protesting against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak earlier pushed back pro-Mubarak crowds from the street in front of the museum, near Tahrir Square. Though Molotov cocktails still are being thrown, the two sides don't appear to be in physical contact.
Anderson Cooper reported the museum is “Ground Zero” for Mubarak supporters.
While the Egyptian Museum is safe for now, other museums and UNESCO World Heritage Sites may be at risk. The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, called on all parties to “protect Egyptian cultural heritage”:
Egyptian cultural heritage, both its monuments and its artifacts, are part of the ancestral heritage of humanity, handed down to us through the ages. The value of the 120,000 pieces in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is inestimable, not only in scientific or financial terms, but because they represent the Egyptian people’s cultural identity. The proof, hundreds of citizens spontaneously formed a chain around the museum to protect it. I solemnly request that all necessary measures be taken to safeguard Egypt’s treasures, in Cairo, Luxor and in all the other cultural and historical sites around the country.
Egypt's national treasures and heritage sites must be protected BAMN (by any means necessary).
