Egypt: Legacy of Rabaa Massacre 5 Years Later | Time

In the early hours of Aug. 14, I was trying to make my way into Rabaa Square with my camera, unaware of the violence I was about to witness. The sun had just become visible on the horizon when a block of armored military vehicles jammed the square — one of Cairo’s busiest thoroughfares — shutting down all major exits to the sit-in. Police and military soldiers advanced to clear the sit-in using live ammunition, armored vehicles and snipers. Around 800 people were killed in fewer than 12 hours. A huge fire engulfed the sit-in, burning down tents and the nearby Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque.