Mideast Protests

Egyptian Interior Ministry on Fire

Gov’t says cops asking for better salaries were protesting.

Usually, police are called on to maintain order and prevent chaos, but the Interior Ministry in downtown Cairo is on fire after protests by police officers demanding better pay. The cops were joined by other employees of the ministry who gathered in Tahrir Square, epicenter for protests that brought down President Hosni Mubarak, and marched toward the building to demand higher wages. Protesters say their action was peaceful and insist the fire was set from the inside. Reports say the roof is on fire, with a large plume of smoke rising above the city. It’s not the first fire at the site: Several weeks ago, protesters set small fires at other Interior Ministry buildings nearby, but the flames were quickly extinguished.