As expected, the two-day clash between protesters and Central Security forces in Tahrir dominates Thursday’s headlines.
State-owned paper Al-Ahram reports that political powers strongly condemn the "anti-revolution conspiracy," while revolutionaries demand the resignation of Minister of Interior Mansour al-Essawy following the violent police response against demonstrations.
According to privately-owned daily Al-Dostour, around 3000 protesters demanded the resignation of Essawy and compared him to his predecessor, Habib al-Adly, for ordering the security crackdown on protesters. Protesters chanted "We are not thugs, the Interior Ministry are thugs," and "Essawy and Adly are one hand," according to the paper.
Several newspapers also report that people outside Cairo on Wednesday protested government violence against families of protesters killed during the 25 January revolution. The protests were staged in Port Said and Daqahlia Governorates.
Al-Ahram quotes a judicial source as saying those involved in the events are being referred to the military prosecutor, who is tasked with investigating the incidents that resulted in the injury of more than 1000 demonstrators and police.
Privately-owned daily Al-Shorouk writes that, according to a security source, 40 people were arrested – 34 in Tahrir, including one American and one British citizen and six at Agouza’s Balloon Theater. The source said the military prosecutor was investigating all detainees.
Al-Shorouk also reports on various theories regarding who or what sparked renewed unrest from “thugs” to families of killed protesters angry over the postponement of Adly’s trial.
Some described the clashes as an extension of what happened on the bloody February "Battle of the Camel," writes the paper. Others said it was 25 January all over again.
The 107th football match Wednesday between Al-Ahly and Zamalek clubs also received attention in Thursday’s papers.
The match, which ended in a 2-2 tie, virtually killed Zamalek's hopes of winning the Egyptian Premier League title after the club was previously leading the competition.
Al-Shorouk writes that although the match ended with no losers, both clubs lost their reputations as top clubs because of what the paper calls an “immoral farce.”
After the match fans from both sides threw rocks outside the stadium, on the surrounding streets and at the teams’ buses, which Al-Shorouk calls a “tragic” ending.
Egypt's papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
Youm7: Weekly, privately owned
