Egyptians storm Israeli embassy
- 13 years ago
Hundreds of Egyptians stormed the building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, tearing down the Israeli flag and hurling documents from windows.
At least two police vehicles were set alight and crowds lit fires in the street outside the building early on Saturday morning after pulling down a wall built to protect the building.
Police fired tear gas and blank rounds to disperse the crowd of about 2, 000 demonstrators still outside the building in the early morning.
The Interior Ministry said at least 450 protestors were injured during a day of confrontations with police.
State media said Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf had summoned his cabinet crisis team while the Interior Ministry put police on alert and cancelled police holidays.
Airport sources said Israel's Ambassador to Egypt, Yitzhak Levanon, and his family were at Cairo airport on Saturday planning to fly out of the country.
Israel says it's asked the United States for help in guarding the embassy.
U.S. President Barack Obama has called on Egypt to honour its international obligations and protect the Israeli mission.
At least two police vehicles were set alight and crowds lit fires in the street outside the building early on Saturday morning after pulling down a wall built to protect the building.
Police fired tear gas and blank rounds to disperse the crowd of about 2, 000 demonstrators still outside the building in the early morning.
The Interior Ministry said at least 450 protestors were injured during a day of confrontations with police.
State media said Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf had summoned his cabinet crisis team while the Interior Ministry put police on alert and cancelled police holidays.
Airport sources said Israel's Ambassador to Egypt, Yitzhak Levanon, and his family were at Cairo airport on Saturday planning to fly out of the country.
Israel says it's asked the United States for help in guarding the embassy.
U.S. President Barack Obama has called on Egypt to honour its international obligations and protect the Israeli mission.