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Egypt - Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens - Alert About Continued Demonstrations - February 2, 2012

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  • Egypt - Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens - Alert About Continued Demonstrations - February 2, 2012

    Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens No. 3: Alert About Continued Demonstrations February 2nd, 2012

    <!-- begin position 1 -->Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens No. 3: Alert About Continued Demonstrations - February 2, 2012

    February 2, 2012

    This emergency message is to alert U.S. citizens that on February 1, 2012 a soccer match in Port Said turned violent resulting in the death of over seventy people. Due to this incident a soccer match in Cairo was cancelled. In protest fans set fire to the stadium at that venue. A special session of Parliament is scheduled today to discuss these events. The high level of emotion over these occurrences, coupled with already planned demonstrations in the downtown area, have elevated concerns over the likelihood of street clashes and significant traffic congestion.
    Many of these groups may pass near the U.S. Embassy in Garden City toward the People?s Assembly building. U.S. citizens who do not live or work near downtown should avoid the area.

    Additionally, as calls for protest are continuing through the weekend, US citizens who do not live and work near downtown are advised to avoid Tahrir Square and the surrounding areas. One of the teams involved in the Port Said match was a Zamalek club team. As their headquarters are located in Zamalek on Gabriel Street (near the Opera House) there is a possibility of large gatherings today and through the weekend in this area as well.

    U.S. citizens should elevate their overall level of attentiveness, particularly to large gatherings, and should monitor local news broadcasts for updated information about locations of possible demonstrations. U.S. citizens visiting Cairo should seek information from their hotel or tour guide in planning their activities. Even demonstrations or events intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. The Embassy reminds all U.S. citizens to avoid areas where large crowds are assembling.

    The Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to review their personal security plans and remain alert to their surroundings at all times in Egypt. For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State?s Internet website where the Worldwide Caution, Country Specific Information for Egypt, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts, including the current Travel Alert for Egypt, can be found. You can also follow the Bureau of Consular Affairs on Twitter and on Facebook. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or, for callers outside of the United States and Canada, on a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

    U.S. citizens are advised to maintain valid travel documents and enroll with the Department of State or the U.S. Embassy Cairo through the State Department Smart Traveler Enrollment Program website, https://travelregistration.state.gov. For further information, U.S. citizens may call the Embassy?s American Citizen Services Unit at 2797-2301 during business hours, Sunday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

    For emergencies after business hours and on weekends and holidays, U.S. citizens can contact the Embassy Duty Officer via the Embassy switchboard at 2797-3300. The Embassy is located at 5 Tawfik Diab Street (formerly known as Latin America Street), Garden City, Cairo.



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    "Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."
    -Nelson Mandela
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