eyewitness report from Cairo

Just received this a couple of hours ago, from a trusted observer:

“I’ve been in Tahrir since sundown. There was little sign of the morning’s and previous night’s violence (which was centered in Bab al luq and the AUC library area, and was harsh — bricks, gas, rubber bullets) when I arrived. But there were a dozen ambulances lined up all the way from KFC (still open! The Colonel would be proud) to the Museum.

The circle is filling up again, but cars are still allowed to pass. Shabab [youth] are marshaling traffic. I sat on the circle’s ledge reading a book for an hour and saw three minor acts of violence. Two were when police trucks drove by—instantly the crowd roared and started throwing stones; the trucks sped off toward the Omar Makram side of the Mugamma before the incident could escalate. The other was a shoving match between protesters and a guy who brought a small horse (the ‘Thawra Pony’).

Now the crowd is thickening as people arrive from the soccer match [between rival Cairo-based powerhouses Zamalek and Ahly]. If I were to guess I’d say the tensions will rise for a bit, then simmer down for the night.”