Death Toll in Egypt Hits 525 as Government Declares State of Emergency After Bloody Clashes

A police vehicle, which fell 50 feet to the ground, is pushed off a bridge by protesters Wednesday.

The Obama administration issued a statement that it 'strongly condemns' the crackdown. Egyptian expats in New York fretted over the tragedy unfolding in their homeland — and cursed the Muslim Brotherhood.

nydailynews.com - by Nicholas Wells and Corky Siemaszko - August 15, 2013

Egypt’s military-backed leader declared a state of emergency Wednesday after at least 525 people were killed in bloody clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

The worst of the chaos was in Cairo, where fierce street battles raged and Muslim Brotherhood members, determined to restore Morsi to power, at one point occupied the Finance Ministry and took hostages.

In one of the most savage incidents, Morsi backers pushed an armored police van off a bridge, sending it plunging 50 feet and scattering the cops like rag dolls when it hit the ground.

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