Rare Documents Burned in Egypt Clash

Pretoria News:

Cairo – Volunteers in white laboratory coats, surgical gloves and masks stood on the back of a pickup truck on Monday along the banks of the Nile River in Cairo, rummaging through stacks of rare 200-year-old manuscripts that were little more than charcoal debris.

The volunteers, ranging from academic experts to appalled citizens, have spent the past two days trying to salvage what’s left of some 192 000 books, journals and writings, casualties of Egypt’s latest bout of violence.

Institute d’Egypte, a research centre set up by Napoleon Bonaparte during France’s invasion in the late 18th century, caught fire during clashes between protesters and Egypt’s military over the weekend. It was home to a treasure trove of writings, most notably the handwritten 24-volume Description de l’Egypte, compiled during the 1798-1801 French occupation.

The Description of Egypt, which French scientists began writing in 1798, is likely burned beyond repair. Its home, the two-story historic institute near Tahrir Square, is now in danger of collapsing after the roof caved in.

“The burning of such a rich building means a large part of Egyptian history has ended,” the director of the institute, Mohammed al-Sharbouni, told state television over the weekend.

He said most of the contents were destroyed in the fire that raged for over 12 hours on Saturday. Firefighters flooded the building with water, adding to the damage.

Burnt pages from books from the Scientific Institute lie in a pile near cabinet offices near Tahrir Square in Cairo.

The violence erupted in Cairo Friday, when military forces guarding the Cabinet building, near the institute, cracked down on a 3-week-old sit-in to demand the country’s ruling generals hand power to a civilian authority. At least 14 people have been killed…

… there is no way of knowing what has been lost for good at this stage, but the material was worth tens of millions of dollars – and in many ways simply priceless.

“I haven’t slept for two days, and I cried a lot yesterday. I do not like to see a book burned,” he said. “The whole of Egypt is crying.”

More here.

 

Photo: Occupy Rome Desecrates Statue of Mary

I did report on this desecration yesterday during the ‘Occupy’ Rome demonstration. But just look at this photo:

How evil?! Very evil.

Via

UPDATE:  There is a video of the above event here.

 

Rome: Church Desecrated During Protests

Disgraceful:

Vatican City—The Vatican has condemned Saturday’s violent clashes in central Rome including an attack by protesters on a church in which a crucifix and a statue of the Virgin Mary were destroyed.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said he “condemned the violence and the fact that a church was desecrated by some protesters who broke in and destroyed some images.” He referred to the clashes in Rome as “horrific.”

The 18th-century church of Santi Marcellino and Pietro is near St John Lateran square where much of Saturday’s violence occurred.

“When I came down, I saw the entrance door had been smashed in,” the church’s parish priest, Father Giuseppe Ciucci, was quoted by Italian media as saying.

“The Virgin Mary’s statue, which was at the entrance, had been taken away and I saw it had been thrown into the street and smashed,” he said.

“I went into the sacristy and I saw the door there was also destroyed. The large crucifix at the entrance had been vandalized,” he added.

Hundreds of protesters torched cars, smashed banks and hurled rocks at police during the clashes. Tens of thousands of people had been protesting against government cutbacks and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

 

Christianity on the Line!

Blessed are the Peacemakers:

The context: “A Greek Orthodox Priest tries to stop a rioter from throwing a Molotov cocktail at Greek Police.”

Definitely my pic of the day too!

HT

 

Catholic Priest Arrested for Directing Looters

…. Meanwhile, in Toxteth, a Catholic priest has been arrested for giving directions to looting youths telling them that, “there is a massive range of hi-tech goods and trainers a mile down the road at the local abortion clinic, now go get them.” Meanwhile, in Toxteth, a Catholic priest has been arrested for giving directions.

Source

HT

50 Powerful London Riot Images

Awful, more like it!

Fifty of the most powerful images of the riots in London and the UK.

Rest here.

London Riots: Archbishop Calls for Prayers

The Archbishop of Westminster, Most Rev Vincent Nichols said in a statement today: “The scenes of the last few nights in parts of London and elsewhere are shocking. The criminal violence and theft that have been witnessed are to be condemned. They are a callous disregard for the common good of our society and show how easily basic principles of respect and honesty are cast aside. “

“I ask that Catholics pray especially for those directly affected by the violence, for those facing danger on the streets, for those whose livelihood has been ruined, for those whose lives are marked by fear, for those whose parents are worried about the behaviour of their youngsters and for those who, at this time, are being tempted into the ways of violence and theft.”

“In the face of these difficulties, a forthright common effort is needed to ensure that these times bring out the best in our society and not the worst. I am sure that, as Catholic citizens, we shall play our part with clear principles for living, both as individuals and as a society, with honesty, compassion and prayer.”

“May God grant us courage and determination to shape our lives with dignity, self respect and care for the common good.”

The above was here.

For live coverage  of the riots, click here.

Riots Break Out in North London

In via Reuters this AM:

(Reuters) – Rioters throwing petrol bombs battled police in north London overnight, setting patrol cars, buildings and a double-decker bus on fire in some of the worst disorder seen in the British capital in recent years.

About 200 people rained missiles and bottles on riot officers near Tottenham police station after a protest at the fatal shooting of a man by armed officers earlier in the week turned violent.

Mounted police and riot officers on foot in turn charged the troublemakers, to push them back.

Eight officers were taken to hospital, one with head injuries, as rioters attacked buildings including banks, shops and a supermarket and torched three police cars in the main road near the local police base.

Television pictures showed a blazing bus surrounded by rioters and hooded youths pelting an abandoned police car with rocks and missiles.

While the bulk of the disturbance had been brought under control early on Sunday, pockets of trouble were still erupting nearby.

“These are very distressing scenes for Londoners in general and the local community in particular,” said Commander Stephen Watson.

“It’s important we emphasize that the safety of the public is of paramount importance to us. Our intention at this time is to bring things to as swift a conclusion as we can. Our absolute aim is to restore normality.”…

Read on here.

The Guardian also covers the news here.

Al Jazeera has a related video:

I hope and pray those that still believe over there will be able to get to Church in peace and safety today.

Hundreds of Rampaging Palestinians Attack Israeli Settlement, Torch Jewish Holy Books…

Could you imagine what would happen if Jews were to burn the Quran? But naturally, they don’t…

Some 200 Palestinians armed with bats and iron chains raided the illegal West Bank outpost of Gaon HaYarden Friday and burned Jewish holy books at the site, the settlers said.

The Arab attackers clashed with Jewish youths at the outposts before torching a hut and a tent that included a prayer corner and holy books. Security forces rushed to the scene and broke up the violence.

The Palestinians arrived at the outpost in dozens of vehicles and razed it. A leading member of the Jewish Hilltop Youth movement vowed to rebuild the outpost after the Shabbat.

“There were a few youths at the site when some 150 to 200 Palestinians carrying PLO flags and armed with bats and iron chains raided it,” an outpost resident told Ynet. “We managed to escape unharmed.”…

HT

Israeli Police and Palestinians Clash at Jerusalem Holy Site

Yahoo.com News reports on an unfolding volatile situation in Jerusalem today:

Jerusalem – Israeli police say policemen have entered a sensitive Jerusalem holy site to disperse Palestinian protesters who were hurling stones.

The scene of Friday’s violence was the Old City compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.

Israeli spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says police entered the compound after Palestinians began lobbing stones at security forces stationed outside one of the gates. He says police used stun grenades to disperse the crowd.

Rosenfeld says no one was injured and that order was quickly restored.

The holy compound is one of the most combustible sites on earth, and clashes there in the past have ignited broader violence.

A Muslim clerical body runs the compound under Israel’s overall security control.

And also today: Israeli police enter Al-Aqsa mosque compound…

Israeli police briefly entered the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound after Friday prayers and fired tear gas towards stone-throwing youths, police and mosque officials said.

“After prayers some of the Arab youths started throwing stones,” a Jerusalem police spokeswoman said. “There were no injuries but when the stone throwing continued, police and border police entered the mosque compound to disperse the youths before leaving.”

Police fired tear gas and one person was arrested, she said.

A spokesman for the Islamic authorities that run the mosque said one or two youths had been throwing stones, but the incident ended quickly.

The sprawling mosque compound contains the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock and is the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.

It is also the holiest site in Judaism because it was the location of the Second Temple, razed by the Romans in 70 AD.