Anderson Cooper Attacked By Protesters in Egypt

By John Mitchell Posted Feb 2nd 2011 10:45AM

Anderson Cooper and his crew were attacked by supporters of embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo early Wednesday, according to the Huffington Post. CNN Coverage Manager Steve Brusk tweeted that Cooper "was punched 10 times in the head as pro-Mubarak mob surrounded him and his crew trying to cover demonstration."

Cooper was covering dueling demonstrations between pro-Mubarak supporters and those calling for the president to be removed from office when he and his crew came under attack. No major injuries were reported, and the anchor spoke to CNN's 'American Morning' early Wednesday about the attack. "My team were set upon by the crowd," Cooper said via satellite from a Cairo hotel. "There was no rhyme or reason to it -- it was just people looking for a fight, looking to make a point and punching us."

"They at first started going for the cameras; they didn't want any pictures taken," Cooper said. "The crowd kept growing, kept throwing punches, kicks ... suddenly a young man would look at you and punch you in the face."

CNN issued an update this morning indicating there were no serious injuries sustained during the attack. Cooper and his crew had been trying to steer clear of the protesters by remaining in a neutral zone between the two groups. But as the size of the crowd increased, the situation became less stable, resulting in violence between the two factions in the increasingly unstable country.

"Anderson Cooper witnessed a huge crowd of Mubarak supporters surge across a no-man's land dividing them from the anti-Mubarak crowd and overturn a military vehicle on the street as a huge roar went up. A large cloud of smoke arose at the east entrance to Tahrir Square," CNN wrote. "Military vehicles were separating pro- and anti-Mubarak demonstrators, and several gasoline bombs had been tossed."

Major anti-government protests began in Egypt on Jan. 25 -- the "Day of Anger," also National Police Day -- and have escalated in size and violence since. Millions have turned out to demand President Mubarak and his regime's immediate removal from office amid allegations of abuse of power and corruption within his administration. More recently, however, supporters of the president have turned out to stage counter protests that have become extremely violent, with the two sides attacking each other with stones, bottles and sticks and the Egyptian military forced to police the situation.

► Catch Up: Mubarak Supporters Clash With Protesters | Obama to Mubarak: Time's Up

Tags: anderson cooper, cnn

Comments

(1058)

Wednesday 02 February

By Chantal

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Remember how Cooper bashed Lt.Col Dr. Lakin, a military HERO in prison because he questioned the serial lying usurping Muslim Hussein's eligibility?
Well, I am for one are terribly disappointed this thug fruitcake wasn't beat up as much as I'd LOVED it!
But he is still in Cairo, yes? ;))

By bushstaged911

Dan Rather was in vietnam . He never whined about being shot at . The difference between then and now

By poetamelie

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But of course, the dictator's thugs attack the journalist! It's a page straight out of the playbook of any despot: Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Pinochet, the Shah of Iran, Ceaucescu, Mao, ol' Pineapple Face from Panama. As to the folks who think Cooper deserved it--you aren't much better than the despots and their goons in your "thinking." Ideas must scare you to death.

By Mat

You think if he had worked at Fox News he would have transversed through the crowds unmolested...

By katydid579

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This would never happen to to the likes of glum, shame, rash, or bull because those repukes are not 1)reporters, 2)truth-seekers, 3)gutsy enough. I hope you are feeling better quickly Anderson! You are an excellent reporter, truth-seeking, gutsy guy!!!!!

By fentex5

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I was going to type essentially the same as you typed. The unrest or strife anywhere is tragic enough. News ghouls impose themselves anywhere there is trouble. They get hurt, and sometimes, get killed. I personally don't feel the need to see Cooper or any news person reporting (sometimes creating) events in dangerous places.

By Da Doo Ron Ron

Umm... Anderson Cooper isn't cadging for sympathy-- what gave you that impression? He is reporting actual FACTS... unlike what you no doubt see on FAUX News.

By Mike in Va

It is called a J. O. B. Jeb. They are not looking for sympathy, just reporting the chaotic conditions that they are encountering. Antagonistic of others trying to do a good job??

By Debi

I don't see anywhere in the report where he was asking for sympathy. Regardless, without someone there to record what's actually happening, we would never get any facts. I for one appreciate the journalists who put their lives on the line to tell us what's going on -- and I don't care what their political persuasion is.

By cambier lingua

Jeb, if he didn't want publicity (or sympathy) neither he nor his crew would have ever told anyone. Get some smarts kiddo. As a former reporter crews are told to keep some incidents "under their hats" or to tell everyone as gossip which means it get out but usually with this incident, a printed news release is sent. You aren't very sophisticated about the media.

By Jennifer

If reporters are stupid enough to be in the middle of a riot, then they get what they deserve.

By operasngr1

To Jennifer and Jeb:
That's their job - to report on the news. If not for people like that we would have no idea what was going on over there. The only reports we would get would be hearsay or second hand. We all know how reliable that can be! If you read the article carefully it clearly states they were trying to steer clear of danger and were in neutral ground. Think before you criticize.

By sandra

It isn't called stupidity, it is called "guts"!

By rose

the story says they were in a neutsal area which quickly became crowded. this is what reporters do they go to places and report back to us, who are not there.

By Slim D.

I agree Jen, at's whats wrong wift this country now we always sticking our nose's into sumthing where it don't belong. I gotta great idea why not send Robin Roberts from ABC over there along wift Di Sawyer.

By ty

slim, you oughta go stick your nose in an open english textbook and learn how to write your language.

By Hodad

To : Operasngr1

I 'think' the point is that they did 'think' and that is why Jennifer and Jeb posted as they said. Cooper isn't known so much for his objective reporting style as he is for editorializing. A punch in the face is worth a thousand CNN words...priceless.

By Coleen

Ok Jennifer, you and slim just go ahead and watch FOX and let them tell you what you believe. I prefer to actually see whats going on rather than hear the spin on what is happening.

By Anne

Obviously you didn't read the whole article..the reporters have tried to be careful and stay in a neutral area..............

Reporters are risking THEIR lives to bring us the NEWS..so that those of us not brave enough to do their job have a chance to realy see what is going on in those difficult and dangerous areas of the world, which by the way will determine whether your children will have any sort of a future.

Don't be so ignorant.

By Stevef

Please enlighten me ... where is the "neutral zone" in the middle of a riot? LIEberals are .....

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