Scores injured as crowd tries to storm Israeli embassy in Cairo

Reports say up to 120 people have been injured after protesters tried to storm the Israeli embassy in Cairo, with another twelve killed across the region in protests against the foundation of the Jewish state.

cairo_israel_embassy_b_110516_ap_1785902518
Egyptian protesters demanding the expulsion of Israel's ambassador clashed with riot police outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo on Sunday, leaving at least 120 people wounded, according to Al Jazeera.


The police in Egypt, who were backed by the army, fired dozens of tear gas canisters at the protesters, who ripped out paving stones to throw and burned tyres.

At least 24 people were injured in the clashes, according to the health ministry, quoted by the official MENA news agency.

The clashes continued sporadically overnight, with some protesters telling a police officer trying to negotiate with them to leave that they would stay until the ambassador was expelled.

The protest was one of a series timed to coincide with the establishment of the Israeli state 63 years ago, in what is commonly referred to in Arabic as the "Nakba" or "catastrophe".

"Ambassador Out!" the protesters chanted, denouncing Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and demanding the release of all Palestinian detainees.

Security officials blanketed the street with tear gas, sending protesters fleeing through the thick white smoke into nearby streets, before regrouping and pelting riot police surrounding the embassy building with stones.

Ambulances were seen carrying away those who fainted.

Protesters also set tyres on fire near the embassy, which is on the top floor of a building overlooking the Nile and protected by army and police officers, who barricaded the narrow street leading to the entrance.

Sunday's protest, the third in as many days, came hours after senior Israeli defence ministry official Amos Gilad was in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, in the first visit by a top official from the Jewish state since a popular uprising toppled president Hosni Mubarak in February.




Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AFP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world