Thursday, March 7, 2013

The Police and the Muslim Brotherhood

What do you know, maybe the Egyptian police do care who they beat up. The Associated Press:
Thousands of low-ranking policemen on strike across Egypt on Thursday refused orders to work and protested what they claim is the politicization of the force in favor of the president's Muslim Brotherhood party. The strike, in its fourth day, is a rare show of defiance by policemen against their superiors. . . .

For decades, Egypt's police aggressively targeted the Brotherhood and other Islamist groups that were once outlawed. Policemen say they are now being forced to confront protesters angry with Mubarak's successor, President Mohammed Morsi, and his Brotherhood supporters. They also are angry that they can be tried in military courts and complain that current laws do not protect them when they carry out their duties.
I don't know where this will lead; maybe just to a raise for policemen, and even more freedom to act however they want. But it is a nice remainder that Egyptian society is diverse, and plenty of people are unhappy with Morsi's government.

No comments: