(Reuters/New York Times) Egyptian security forces clashed on Wednesday with members of a convoy led by British politician George Galloway trying to take relief supplies to Palestinians in Gaza. A Reuters correspondent in the port city of El Arish, 25 miles from Egypt's border with Gaza, saw security forces throwing stones at about 520 people traveling with the convoy. Police used water cannon to force the protesters to leave Arish harbor, which they had occupied, a security source said. Around 40 members of the convoy had minor injuries while around 15 police officials were hurt, witnesses said. Egypt's Interior Ministry said protesters had broken a gate into the port complex, while others scaled its walls. Some of the protesters "lit cardboard boxes and prevented firemen from reaching them and moved cars from the convoy to block the port gate," the ministry said. The activists struck a deal with police to trade four police officers who had been held by the protesters for a few hours in exchange for seven members of the convoy detained by police.
2010-01-06 07:42:38Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive