Brisbane Man Describes Cairo Protests Protestors near Tehrir Square - the view from Brisbane man Matthew Bo's hotel. Photo: Matthew Bo A Brisbane man in Cairo has told of his fright at having a dog set on him by angry protesters. Matthew Bo arrived in the Egyptian capital on Sunday June 30, the one year anniversary of Mohamed Morsi's elevation to the Presidency. He told Fairfax Media as anti-government protests ramped up, the security situation rapidly declined. Matthew Bo "Today it's generalised violence with gun, fireworks, Molotov cocktails, mobs dragging people," he said. Mr Bo has kept to the Hilton Hotel, about 750 metres from Tahrir Square which is the centre of the protests. I can see the overflow from the square from my hotel balcony. People have been camped out there for days, and more are coming and going," he said. Mr Bo said he was trying to "not look American" because many locals perceived the United States as supporting President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. "I've been yelled at a few times in Arabic," he said. Mr Bo said the frightening incident with the dog occurred on Monday, Cairo time. "I was walking down a street beside the Hilton trying to find groceries and spotted about 15 men attacking a dog on a chain with a broom, trying to anger it," he said. I caught myself looking and looked away, but next thing, the dog and a man were right beside me and the man was laughing. Mr Bo said the man tried to get the dog to attack but the animal was simply confused. Luckily it had its tail still wagging. I think the poor thing was still trusting and thought the men were playing with it, not trying to hurt and anger it," he said. However, Mr Bo said it hadn't diminished his view of Egyptian people. "Most locals have been lovely and protective, apologetic even," he said. I feel sorry for the Egyptians - they're really lovely people but life is so bad here. I hope it's fixed with little bloodshed. Mr Bo said most locals were now calling themselves "rebels," demanding President Morsi step down. "But he just appeared on TV saying he's not backing down," he said. Mr Bo said he and his travel companion had been trying to secure flights out of Cairo to Jordan, but had had trouble with local phone lines and using credit cards online. As a first time overseas traveller, Mr Bo said the groundswell of protest was an extraordinary thing to witness. "People are so angry that there are children at protests, people in wheelchairs, the disabled ... many people who have risked their own safety to make sure they are seen and heard," he said. But the mood is scary - jubilant, celebratory, angry, empowered, mob-like - it changes in a minute.