BM News: Tanta, police violence and workers’ strike

Tanta, police violence and workers’ strike

Joseph Mayton

Bikya Masr

30 June 2009

NOTE: sorry for the length, just had to get all the facts straight

TANTA: Arriving at the Tanta Flax company just outside Tanta, the day looked ready to go smoothly. Get inside, interview the scores of workers who were entering their second month of a sit-in/strike demanding better wages and working conditions at the government owned factory. The initial optimism did not last, even after handing the Egyptian government issued Foreign Press Card that hypothetically should have been my entrance inside the factory.

Hours went by and at around 2:30, the state security came back with a firm denial of entry, arguing that we had to get permission from the ministry of information. As any proper journalist would do, I called the ministry’s press office – where the card was issued – and explained the predicament. The man told me that there was no such permission required from there, adding that you have a press card and if state security says no, then you can’t go in.

As I had been attempting to get some footage of inside the sit-in for Al-Masry Al-Youm’s new video section, I decided, hey, at least I can go in front and just shoot a minute or so of the people inside chanting and standing in solidarity. Little did I know that this would be the last straw.

Crossing to the other side of the highway – the far side from security and the factory entrance – I walked leisurely toward the gate to peer inside from across the road. At first, I thought the idea would work without a hiccup, but that was when a hand grabbed my arm and violently pulled me back, forcing me to stumble a bit, but not falling. It was a surprise to me, as I was walking on the opposite shoulder of the highway some 20 meters away from the officers. Of course, obstinate and more eager to prove a point, I continued walking toward the main gate where the workers’ were now standing watch. At least six more security personnel surrounded me and with each step, a hand would reach out to grab my arms, my back, my shirt, my bag, in an effort to stop me. Finally, one grabbed tightly on my bag, which housed my computer, a video camera and documents. I ripped lose of the grip with both hands.

This is when they started pushing me harder and harder back from the gate. I felt a punch land on my side, but thought little of it as I continued to stand my ground. Finally, a uniformed officer interceded and began talking to me. He was cordial, introducing himself as Ibrahim (24-years-old and straight of the academy). There was no going any further he said and promised to go and talk to the state security chief present. With my six or so-man escort, we made it back to the large, obese man sitting and talking to the American writer who had accompanied on the trip.

I said that I was going to walk on the “public street” and look inside the factory to see what was going on and then I would leave. Every step I would take was followed by at least two, often three or four, men jumping front, fists clenched and ready to pounce. I said that I had a job to do and that I must look into the factory. One of the men said that if I tried again that I would be arrested and driven to the Tanta police station. He looked serious.

By then, two pristine vehicles drove up and old, uniformed men exited the vehicle as I stood ready to cross the street for my second attempt. They did not smile as I attempted to ask if they had brought my “permission” slip. The factory representative said this was the “big boss. police head in Tanta.” I was a bit taken aback by this information and waited to see what was to happen.

Three motorcycles sped to a hault in front of the now twenty security and dozen police officers. They removed their helmets and moved to block traffic on either side of the road. The third officer hopped of his bike and flagged down an empty microbus, which I, and the American writer, were pushed into and told to go back to the train station and return to Cairo. So we did.

Upon arriving, I paid the driver a few pounds and we went off to meet our contact in Tanta who was a worker on strike. We sat with him for no more than 30 minutes, when his phone rang. He was scared. When he hung up, he told us frantically that the bus driver had been arrested, police were looking for us and that he had to go. Without even shaking hands he left.

I was shocked, wondering why the police would care so much about some American journalist, but it just goes to show that the state wants to control every little bit of information coming from Egypt. We left and boarded the 4:20 train back to Cairo.

Upon arriving at home, I noticed on my arms the marks left by the pulling and pushing. It was not good. My back hurts from the shoving and my side is a little sore from the punch (at least the one I remember). It is just unfortunate that I was not able to get any interviews accomplished, because what the workers in Tanta are doing is greater than my tribulations with Egyptian police. This is their future and eveyone should stand firm with them.

I did talk with a few workers and will be posting an article tomorrow about what they said. Thank you all for your Twitter support and thank you Hossam el-Hamalawy for showing how a colleague should act when it comes to one of our own.

BM