Journalists Covering Egypt Shot At, Arrested and Threatened  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Journalists in Egypt are in the line of fire as government forces disperse Muslim Brotherhood protesters in Cairo today.
Two sit-ins for the supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood member, whose one-year reign was cut short on July 3, following massive protests calling for him to resign and for early elections, are being dispersed by force, with conflicting reports on casualties and deaths.
For weeks, Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been camping in Rabaa Al Adawiya, in Nasr City, and in Al Nahda Square, near Cairo University, calling for the return to “legitimacy” or reinstating Morsi as the legally elected president of Egypt.
Reuters Cairo reporter Tom Finn attempts to enter Rabaa Al Adawiya to check out the situation. Soon, he tweets:
Getting arrested
— tom finn (@tomfinn2) August 14, 2013
And he adds:
With two photographers, soldiers have taken their cameras and deleting all their photos.
— tom finn (@tomfinn2) August 14, 2013
Soldiers are speaking calmly, saying we our doing job, fighting terrorists and serving our country.
— tom finn (@tomfinn2) August 14, 2013
They let us go.
— tom finn (@tomfinn2) August 14, 2013
Bel Trew, who is also in the Rabaa vicinity, tweets:
Helicopters are circling, there is gunfire coming from all side streets. Heard press are trapped and being shot at.
— Bel Trew – بل ترو (@Beltrew) August 14, 2013
Soon, she too is part of the action:
We just got shot at by birdshot trying to get into the Rabaa sit-in, crouching behind car #Egypt
— Bel Trew – بل ترو (@Beltrew) August 14, 2013
She adds:
We got shot at by birdshot, @leloveluck and @alastair_beach got hit lightly (and are fine), I escaped the perils of the pellets. Jammy.
— Bel Trew – بل ترو (@Beltrew) August 14, 2013
The Washington Post's reporter Abigail Hauslohner doesn't fare better. She explains:
Police fire tear gas into spectators and press they r firing live ammo at us. We r tapped
— Abigail Hauslohner (@ahauslohner) August 14, 2013
She was also threatened by a police officer:
Police officer who told me earlier I was "provoking" him by writing in my notebook now says: "if I see u again I will shoot you in the leg"
— Abigail Hauslohner (@ahauslohner) August 14, 2013
In a more alarming tweet, she adds:
My iPhone about to die. Mohamed Soltan frm anti coup alliance just told AJE he saw cameraman shot as he set up live feed. #rabaa
— Abigail Hauslohner (@ahauslohner) August 14, 2013
Cairo Wire journalist Samer Al Atrush had a close encounter:
Em Im moving. Guy was just shot 10 metres away from me
— Samer Al-Atrush  (@SameralAtrush) August 14, 2013
Stay tuned for more coverage from Egypt.