Egyptians tear down Israeli flag as hundreds storm Cairo embassy

Egyptian activists burn a depiction of an Israeli flag as they demolish a concrete wall built around a building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo, September 9, 2011
Erstveröffentlicht: 
09.09.2011

Published 22:57 09.09.11 | Latest update 22:57 09.09.11

Protesters use hammers and poles to bring down wall built earlier this month following public demands for the expulsion of Israeli ambassador.


By DPA

 

An Egyptian protester pulled down the Israeli flag on Friday at the Jewish state's embassy in Cairo, the second time in less than a month.

A protester climbed the building, where the Israeli embassy occupies the top floor, and took down the flag, witnesses said. Last month, another protester was hailed as a hero when he replaced the Israeli flag with an Egyptian one.

 

On Friday, the Israeli flag was taken down after hundreds of protesters gathered to break down a concrete wall meant to protect the building.

Protesters used large wooden poles and hammers to knock down the wall. Others were dancing, singing and carrying Egyptian flags.

Security forces erected the wall earlier this month, after thousands of angry Egyptians protested for more than a week outside the embassy, demanding that Egypt's military rulers expel the Israeli ambassador.

Five Egyptian police officers died in August in an Israeli airstrike against Palestinian militants along the Egyptian border. The deaths have triggered outrage in Egypt, causing the worst diplomatic crisis with Israel since the two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979.