The Cairo Semiramis is a luxury InterContinental hotel frequented by Westerners.
http://twitter.com/moorehn/statuses/296221481225027584
In an alarming series of tweets, hotel staff pleaded for help and described a “large group of thugs” breaking down barriers to storm the lobby. The damage was severe.
Intercontinental's lobby earlier this morning (photo by @Hildaismail )pic.twitter.com/P8aO2v6I
— Lamia Hassan (@LamiaHassan) January 29, 2013
THUGS HAVE ENTERED THE IC SEMIRAMIS ON THE CORNICHE!
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! SEVERAL THUGS HAVE ENTERED THE SEMIRAMIS! SEND HELP #jan25 #jan28 #Tahrir #EgyPolice
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
EMERGENCY! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! SEVERAL THUGS HAVE ENTERED THE SEMIRAMIS! SEND HELP #jan25 #jan28 #Tahrir #EgyPolice
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
PLEASE SEND HELP #EMERGENCY! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK! SEVERAL THUGS HAVE ENTERED THE SEMIRAMIS! #jan25 #jan28 #Tahrir #EgyPolice
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
.@wordydurke No help as of yet! Please spread the word! This is an #EMERGENCY!
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
THUGS HAVE BROKEN DOWN BARRIERS, LOBBY DOORS, ARE INSIDE SERMIRAMIS! PLEASE SEND HELP! #Egypt #Cairo #Emergency #Jan25 #Jan28 #Tahrir
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
.@liamstack THUGS HAVE BROKEN DOWN BARRIERS, LOBBY DOORS, They're INSIDE SERMIRAMIS! PLEASE SEND HELP! #Egypt #Jan25 #Jan28 #Tahrir
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
.@liamstack Large group of Thugs have stormed lobby, barriers have been broken down. inside the lobby now. #Egypt #Tahrir #Jan28
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
SOS If anyone knows anyone in #Military #Police #Government, please send help! Thugs in Lobby #Emergency #Tahrir #Jan28 #Egypt
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
.@liamstack We've just confirmed the attack! PLEASE SEND HELP! SOS
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
Special Forces just arrived, attempting to deal with situation. There are NO injuries reported, Large crowds outside. #Egypt #Tahrir #Jan28
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
Special forces are on scene and handling the situation. Thank you to everyone for your help and speedy response to our SOS!
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
To clarify we contacted all relevant authorise & later media to draw attention as the break in attempts increased & aid had not yet arrived.
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
The priority for IC is undoubtedly the lives & safety of our guests & colleagues.
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
Thank you all revolutionaries that stood by us last night…You are awesome#jan2813
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
For security reasons we've temporarily closed the hotel. We hope to be back up and running very soon.Thanks for everyone’s ongoing support.
— InterContinental (@ICSEMIRAMIS) January 29, 2013
The new normal in Egypt:
In emergencies, Twitter is more reliable than police MT @ICSEMIRAMIS: THUGS BROKEN DOWN BARRIERS, ARE INSIDE SERMIRAMIS! PLEASE SEND HELP!
— Rebel Economy (@RebelEconomy) January 29, 2013
Another report from the scene:
Follow my next Tweets about what happened at the Semiramis Hotel from the testimony of protesters and security forces who I spoke to there1
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
police captain named Moataz told me that the protesters stopped fighting with us and told us that there are some gunmen stormed Semiramis-2
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
Moataz confirmed that the protesters who clashed with them over two days on the Nile Corniche didn,t involve in storming Samiramis 3
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
According to witnesses: 4 people were in a Lancer car without a tiger came from behind the protesters with a weapon and fired shots 5
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
The gunmen fired shots and stormed the hotel,which push the protesters stop clashing with the security forces and urging them to interact 6
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
This also pushing the security to stop the clashing and cooperate with the "protesters" to Catch the gunmen who fired shots to fear both 7
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
The security Officers confirmed to me that they did not have suitable weapons to deal with these militants 8
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
After the Security forces entered the hotel they close the doors that make the protesters who cooperate with them chanting"we need to eat"9
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
Photo: Semiramis Hotel garage which was vandalized and torched the by the militants"not protesters" http://t.co/BMeHXa9f 10
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
pic: under the protection of "protesters" ,some guests of Semiramis leave the Hotel and take a taxis to the Airport http://t.co/bwSvVJBf 10
— Mohammed Maree محمد مرعي (@mar3e) January 29, 2013
Violence and political unrest continues today:
This is the front line on the Corniche now. Civilians hurling stones from both sides. CSF outside the Intercontinental pic.twitter.com/4AWaeUpT
— Jared Malsin (@jmalsin) January 29, 2013
BREAKING: Egypt's army chief warns of "the collapse of the state" if political crisis continues.
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 29, 2013
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo has more pressing concerns.
Do you have a question for #SecClinton? Tweet it to #AskState for her #GlobalTownHall today at 4:30PM #Cairo time
— U.S. Embassy Cairo (@USEmbassyCairo) January 29, 2013