Police officers staged protests in Sharqiya and clashed with Central Security forces there, but the crowds were appeased when leaders from the Interior Ministry intervened and promised to resolve their problems.
But the media did not stop demonizing the officers and launching hateful words towards them, accusing them of receiving money from the Brotherhood and taking large salaries, which denies them the right to demand bonuses and incentives.
Strangely enough, this is the same media that once justified anything the police did and asked people to overlook their mistakes. Now, it is coining them corrupt and greedy. It is the same media that radically changes positions overnight in order to please the regime.
Of course, the officers breaching the Protest Law, which many others were sentenced to prison for doing, is of no concern to the media. It is better not to talk about this to avoid offending the Interior Ministry. But it is not embarrassing to accuse anyone who protests of being a traitor.
In general, we cannot say the police are angels or demons. Some of them are respectable, others should be removed from the police force for their wrong practices. But they should definitely not be subjected to such a systematic attack by the media.
Also, we should listen to the demands of everyone, for people do not start screaming unless they are desperate and feel discriminated against.
The media machine that has succeeded before in removing the political opponents of the regime should not now be the weapon that quells social protests, for these can only be contained through social justice and an improvement of economic conditions that people can tangibly feel.
Social protests will escalate by the day as long as prices rise dramatically, and media thuggery will continue as long as there is no sound political vision. The media, which thinks it supports the regime, is with such practices actually destroying it and increasing opposition to it.
Intimidating people will not prevent them from screaming if they are starved. Let us rationally address the root of the problem and forget past methods that failed before.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
