Egyptian Textile Workers Clash With Police

On Saturday, in the Mahalla city of northern Egypt, 200 dissidents held a general strike. Clashes broke out between textile workers and riot police. At least 100 people were injured and 200 were arrested.

On Sunday morning, when workers demonstrated outside the factory, police surrounded Mahalla's textile mill.

Police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, and demonstrators threw stones at the police.

At least more than 200 people were arrested in the conflict and 100 were injured.

Demonstrations at the main textile factories in Egypt were part of a nationwide protest campaign. Workers protested the rise in food prices and demanded higher wages.

A strike at the factory in December 2006 triggered nationwide labor strikes and protests.

Egyptian dissidents campaigned for mild non resistance. They asked for "stay at home" using information technology, such as Facebook websites, blogs, cell phones, telephone and e-mail.

They urged Egyptians to hold general strikes and demonstrations on Saturday, demanding that the government raise wages and limit food prices.

In the demonstration of Kifaya, more than 200 protesters from other organizations were arrested on the way to Cairo and other cities.

7 dissidents who proposed using Facebook website to liaison protest action were also arrested.

The government was nervous about the strike, and the government warned that the government would act resolutely against anyone responding to the strike call.

The Ministry of interior warned in a statement that any order to incite instability or disrupt public order would be subject to severe legal sanctions.

On Sunday, thousands of Egyptians were informed by e-mail, SMS or orally, asking them to take part in the protest. This protest calls for the fear of the normal Egyptians, who remember the bread disturbance that occurred in 1977.

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