The Perils of Photojournalism

 Cairo February 2nd, 2011,  Andrew Burton

Freelance photojournalist Andrew Burton experienced first-hand the risks of his career yesterday when he was violently attacked by pro-Mubarak supporters. He told his story to The Picture Show, (photos from around the world, as well as commentary from NPR's multimedia team).

Burton describes his attack, “It took about 15 minutes to walk from my hotel to the square. As I moved through the thickening crowd, things seemed slightly more tense than earlier in the day. Before I got to where the fighting was taking place, I noticed a pro-Mubarak supporter painting slogans over anti-Mubarak graffiti. I started to photograph him, but was suddenly grabbed from behind by a young man who also slapped his hand over my camera – he was very angry.”

A pro-Mubarak supporter paints slogans over anti-Mubarak graffiti. February 2, 2011. 
These were the last photographs Burton took before he was grabbed from behind and beaten by pro-Mubarak supporters. 

Burton tried to walk away but instead became a catylst between pro and anti Mubarak factions. Pro-Mubarak supporters grabbed Burton beating him while anti-Mubarak protesters encircled him trying to move while being beaten “Five or six guys surrounded me and took many more blows than I did”. Slowly they moved toward an Army Tank.

“We were headed towards an Egyptian army tank and when we hit it, the men positioned me with my back to the tank, squatting down. At this point, I was pinned. People continued to kick, punch and grab at cameras. Soldiers standing on top of the tank were waving pistols and screaming. My shirt was ripped from my back, hands went into my pockets, the men protecting me were screaming, "You are safe, we are here for you, we will get you out of this."

Anti-Mubarak Protesters on an Army Tank Earlier That Day. Andrew Burton

I only escaped when the soldiers on top of the tank literally ripped me out of the crowd, lifting me by the armpits. I was dumped head-first inside the tank. I found myself surrounded by 14 Egyptian soldiers – young men my age, smiling at me.”

Burton stayed inside the tank until evening when a general escorted him out of the tank getting him a cab to his hotel.

“I don't know what happened to the men that protected me. I owe them my life, or something close to it, and I don't know what would have happened to me without them. This is my first time in a situation like this. I was incredibly lucky.”

Egyptian Cat Cults

Egyptian Cat Mummy, Upper Egypt, Roman Period - British Museum

Egyptians were not only the first to domesticate cats, they worshiped cats. They built temples to the Cat Goddess, Bastet, their fierce protector. They adorned their precious tabbys with jewelry, most notably earrings, and mummified poor puss with sacred burial rites when she died. The Egyptian Prince Thutmose had his cat Ta-Miewet buried beside him in her own stone sarcophagus.

 Sarcophagus of Prince Thutmose cat Ta-Miewet, Carved stone, 18th Dynasty (1550-1292 BC)

From the Old Kingdom (2613-2160 BC) through the Greek and Roman periods Cat Cults thrived on the Nile Delta. Cats were thought to be house protectors and the burial of a cat mummy was considered a demonstration of piety toward Bastet “she of the ointment jar” the protector Cat Goddess. Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 BC) wrote about the festival of Bastet saying, “The festival procession was by boat, the occupants playing musical instruments, singing and clapping. The boats approached the shore when they passed towns and the inhabitants would run or dance alongside the boats, calling to the procession. The festival took place in the temple of Bastet and consisted of a large number of sacrifices and the consumption of copius amounts of wine by the huge crowds that attended.”

It is hard to know just how fanciful this depiction of an Egyptian cat's last rites painted by the 19th C Englishman, John Reinhard Weguelin might be, but note the statue of Bastet in the stairwell on the right. From what we do know, he may not have been too far off.

The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat, John Reinhard Weguelin, 1886