Beating Nawara

The incitement of some of the Egyptian media against activists must be taken seriously, as the physical attack on Nawara Negm attests. Nawara has been one of the brightest faces of the Egyptian revolution and its articulate conscience. I fear for her. The campaign against her began with character assassination delivered by Tawfiq Ukasha, in his program "Mesr Al Youm" (Egypt Today) (his how has been shut down for crossing the decency line). He mocked Nawara for her criticism of SCAF, telling her that he found her a groom who will reign her in, since nobody else can. Khalid Abdallah also wanted her to get married so she can stop attacking the salafis. An online vicious attach was conducted against her and her father, the leftist poet Ahmad Fouad Nagm. She was accused of being a foreign agent because her mother is a Shi'a. Then a law suit was filed against her, accusing her of inciting violence against the army!!!! And now, she was physically attacked by 25 people who accuse her of wanting to divide the people and the army.

This is serious. Not because it will silence Nawara. It won't. But because it will silence others and it will further isolate and discredit activists. The only protection they have is that of the people. The media is working on eroding that support and cracking the shield.