Egyptian VP Tell Protesters To Go Home Ahead Of Mass Protests Scheduled For Friday

The new vice-president of Egypt Thursday told demonstrators their demands have been met and they should end their sit-in. 

Omar Suleiman, former head of Egyptian state security agencies made the statement in an interview on Egyptian State television Thursday evening on a day when reports of attacks on protesters and journalists poured in.

In his interview, Suleiman went on to blame foreign media organizations for inciting unrest and exaggerating the size of the protests. Reporters for virtually every news organization covering the situation from Cairo this week have been subject to acts of intimidation by pro Mubarak forces, ranging from serious physical attacks to having equipment confiscated. 

Some observers fear today’s crackdown on the press might indicate the government’s intention to intensify attacks against protesters in Tahrir Square tomorrow.

Press freedom groups like the Committee To Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders have already released statements denouncing what they call ” a systematic and concerted effort” to silence coverage of the clashes between protesters and pro-Mubarak’s security forces. Paris based Reporters Without Borders has been able to confirm that at least 26 journalists have so far been assaulted, while 19 others were detained by security forces and three others still reported missing. The organization also says it has recorded at least four instances in which media organizations had their equipment confiscated.