UPDATE December 19, 2011: Unfortunately the very same forces
that have kept Egypt in the dark about its cultural resources,
its libraries and heritage have been abusing the devastating
burning of the Institut d’Egypte on government and some private
media outlets to guilt Egyptians for the loss of heritage.
Similar tactics were used in the early days of the January 25
uprising when the Egyptian Museum was broken into and some
artifacts were damaged. The regime never promoted Egypt’s
museums and heritage for Egyptians to enjoy. Culture, it seems,
is only another tool in the regime’s arsenal to further guilt
Egyptians into believing that it is they who stand in the way of
Egypt’s progress. In Egypt 2011 bank buildings are insured and
safeguarded while a library containing rare books is not, no
insurance policy and no fire protection. Beginning of original
post: Amid clashes today between army personnel and protesters a
Molotov cocktail landed on a historic building at the corner of
Qasr el Aini and Sheikh Rihan