Riots in Suez, Egypt

Police forces in Egypt have taken a zero tolerance approach to protesters after days of public demonstrations.

Demonstrators are calling for the current President, Hosni Mubarak, to step down after 30 years in power.

“We are tired, we are tired”, a protester told Al-Jazeera.

A total of six people have been confirmed dead, while dozens have been arrested.

In a statement yesterday, the interior ministry said that it will not tolerate anymore public disorder.

In a previous statement, the interior ministry had blamed an outlawed Muslim brotherhood for inciting the violence. However, reports show that the protests are organic and are being held by ordinary people not activists.

Witnesses say petrol bombed were thrown at the ruling party’s headquarters in Suez, and Youtube videos show government buildings on fire.

In Cairo, demonstrations have continued a second day of protests; another youtube video shows riot police charging at the crowds

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More protests are expected when Mohammed El Baradei, the reformist politician and former head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, flies to Cairo tonight.

This will mark the first time the protests, which have been organic thus far, will have a leader.

Tunisia

The riots in Egypt have been compared with similar riots in Tunisia in which its President, Ben Ali, fled the country, while ministers of his government were arrested on charges of corruption.

However observers in Egypt point out that Egypt is a much larger country, and because the protests are being held by ordinary people and not activists, it creates a different dynamic.

A member of Egypts ruling party, and director of global trade matters, Ashraf Naguib, said “I believe when the people speak we need to listen to them”.

Police forces in Egypt have taken a zero tolerance approach to protesters after days of public demonstrations.

Demonstrators are calling for the current President, Hosni Mubarak, to step down after 30 years in power.

“We are not Tunisia; it’s a completely different ball game here. What needs to happen right now is for people to settle down so we do not have escalations of violence,” he continues “I think now the government need to realise that they need to listen to the people”.