Egypt has its Rodney King moment

Some may remember this famous 1991 video that ultimately resulted in widespread rioting in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the US.




Last week Egypt got its own version of just such video, which has been circulating globally.




As expected, Egypt's government condemned these actions by the police.

Official Statement: - While the presidency was following up Ittihadya incidents, it was pained by the shocking footage of policemen dragging a protester in a way inconsistent with dignity and human rights.

The presidency renewed its commitment to protecting the right of Egyptians to free expression and the freedom of assembly.

The officials made sure to defend the nation's police force as a whole, saying that Egypt would fall into chaos without the law enforcement infrastructure. The goal for the authorities now is to avoid random retaliations against the police.

Official Statement: - During a press conference held on Saturday 2/2/2013 at the Ministry's headquarters, Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim warned if the police collapsed, Egypt will turn into a militia State just like some neighboring countries.

Ibrahim stressed that the police are a national service that belong to the people and work for the sake of the Egyptian citizen's security and safety.

Riots however have been ongoing and are expected to escalate further, particularly given the nature of this video. With rising food prices and a poor employment picture, the situation continues to look unstable. As a result, domestic savers are still pulling money out of the country. The nation's currency therefore continues to deteriorate in value, reaching another record low against the dollar.

USD/EGP (Egyptian pounds per one dollar)

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