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| In Egypt, a Welcome for Refugees Turns Bitter | In Egypt, a Welcome for Refugees Turns Bitter |
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| CAIRO — Dozens of men with clubs and knives stormed a charity for Syrian refugees a few days after the Egyptian military ousted President Mohamed Morsi — making it clear they were no longer welcome in Egypt. | CAIRO — Dozens of men with clubs and knives stormed a charity for Syrian refugees a few days after the Egyptian military ousted President Mohamed Morsi — making it clear they were no longer welcome in Egypt. |
| “You Syrians — you’re setting the country on fire,” the attackers yelled in July as they beat Raqan Abulkheir, who is originally from Homs in central Syria. He runs the refugee center out of an apartment in a Cairo suburb where thousands of Syrians have settled. His 25-year-old son was bludgeoned over the head and left in a coma. | “You Syrians — you’re setting the country on fire,” the attackers yelled in July as they beat Raqan Abulkheir, who is originally from Homs in central Syria. He runs the refugee center out of an apartment in a Cairo suburb where thousands of Syrians have settled. His 25-year-old son was bludgeoned over the head and left in a coma. |
| During the two and a half years of civil war in Syria, more than two million people have fled the country, most of them taking up residence as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. But as many as 300,000 have eventually made their way to Egypt, where they were welcomed, including by Mr. Morsi and his Islamist allies, who were vocal backers of the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad. | During the two and a half years of civil war in Syria, more than two million people have fled the country, most of them taking up residence as refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. But as many as 300,000 have eventually made their way to Egypt, where they were welcomed, including by Mr. Morsi and his Islamist allies, who were vocal backers of the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad. |
| “The people here supported us,” said Mohamed Taher, a filmmaker from northern Syria. “Egyptians did what they could to help Syrians. They went out of their way to do more.” | “The people here supported us,” said Mohamed Taher, a filmmaker from northern Syria. “Egyptians did what they could to help Syrians. They went out of their way to do more.” |
| But as public anger grew against Mr. Morsi leading up to his ouster, the Syrians were cast as his allies. And, along with other foreigners, they were made scapegoats as the military took power and warned of external plots to destabilize Egypt, unleashing a suffocating xenophobia in the news media and on the streets. | But as public anger grew against Mr. Morsi leading up to his ouster, the Syrians were cast as his allies. And, along with other foreigners, they were made scapegoats as the military took power and warned of external plots to destabilize Egypt, unleashing a suffocating xenophobia in the news media and on the streets. |
| One former member of Parliament called for Syrians and other foreigners to be executed. A television host told the “real men” among the Syrians to “go back to your country and solve your problems there.” | One former member of Parliament called for Syrians and other foreigners to be executed. A television host told the “real men” among the Syrians to “go back to your country and solve your problems there.” |
| The rising nationalism was sudden, and startling. Mohamed Abazid, 28 a refugee from Dara’a in southern Syria, grew fearful as he saw fliers being passed around. “My Egyptian brother, my Egyptian sister,” the fliers said. “Fight the Syrian occupation and defend your jobs.” | The rising nationalism was sudden, and startling. Mohamed Abazid, 28 a refugee from Dara’a in southern Syria, grew fearful as he saw fliers being passed around. “My Egyptian brother, my Egyptian sister,” the fliers said. “Fight the Syrian occupation and defend your jobs.” |
| In recent weeks, some of the new government’s prominent supporters have publicly praised Mr. Assad’s military, in a jarring turn for the many refugees who felt safe in Egypt as dissidents. | In recent weeks, some of the new government’s prominent supporters have publicly praised Mr. Assad’s military, in a jarring turn for the many refugees who felt safe in Egypt as dissidents. |
| Since the beating, Mr. Abulkheir has returned to work in this Cairo suburb, and his son, who had 40 stitches in his head, has recovered, he said. Other refugees said they had faced no problems, but stories like Mr. Abulkheir’s have made them nervous. Many Syrians have chosen to spend less time in public or to leave Egypt altogether for Lebanon, Turkey or Jordan, exacerbating the regional refugee crisis. Others take their chances with smugglers and flee by boat to Italy, refugee advocates say. And hundreds more Syrians have been arrested and deported. | |
| Before Mr. Morsi’s ouster, it was difficult to find seats on flights to Cairo from the refugee hubs in Istanbul; Beirut, Lebanon; and Amman, Jordan. After the military-backed government took power, Syrians were required, for the first time in decades, to obtain visas. Over the last two months, “based on the information available, we’ve had almost no Syrians coming in,” said Edward Leposky, a spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency. The refugees have memorized outbound flight schedules. | Before Mr. Morsi’s ouster, it was difficult to find seats on flights to Cairo from the refugee hubs in Istanbul; Beirut, Lebanon; and Amman, Jordan. After the military-backed government took power, Syrians were required, for the first time in decades, to obtain visas. Over the last two months, “based on the information available, we’ve had almost no Syrians coming in,” said Edward Leposky, a spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency. The refugees have memorized outbound flight schedules. |
| While thousands of refugees already settled in Egypt have been registering with the United Nations in a desperate attempt to legalize their status, an increasing number have been closing their files with the agency, including about 820 refugees in August, an indication they were intending to leave, he said. | While thousands of refugees already settled in Egypt have been registering with the United Nations in a desperate attempt to legalize their status, an increasing number have been closing their files with the agency, including about 820 refugees in August, an indication they were intending to leave, he said. |
| Since most Syrian refugees are not registered, their advocates say, the numbers of people leaving are certainly much higher. “There is increasing anxiety about the insecurity here, and the poor treatment they are receiving,” Mr. Leposky said, mentioning insults and threats, incitement in the news media and calls to boycott Syrian businesses. | Since most Syrian refugees are not registered, their advocates say, the numbers of people leaving are certainly much higher. “There is increasing anxiety about the insecurity here, and the poor treatment they are receiving,” Mr. Leposky said, mentioning insults and threats, incitement in the news media and calls to boycott Syrian businesses. |
| The anxiety hums on the outskirts of Cairo, in the suburbs spotted with luxury neighborhoods and lower- and middle-class housing projects where many Syrians found cheap apartments. | The anxiety hums on the outskirts of Cairo, in the suburbs spotted with luxury neighborhoods and lower- and middle-class housing projects where many Syrians found cheap apartments. |
| In one of the Syrian apartment buildings, Mamoun, a man from Syria’s capital, Damascus, recovered from stab wounds he received when a man attacked him on a bus after Mamoun asked people to stop smoking. | |
| He was not sure why he was attacked: Syrians say that these days, their accent is enough to invite hostility. The man who stabbed him accused him of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, Mr. Morsi’s Islamist party. | He was not sure why he was attacked: Syrians say that these days, their accent is enough to invite hostility. The man who stabbed him accused him of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, Mr. Morsi’s Islamist party. |
| When he stumbled onto the pavement, bleeding, bystanders seemed afraid to approach him, and finally directed him to a pharmacy. Mamoun, who had lived with his family in Brooklyn for a time before moving back to Syria and then to Egypt, asked to be identified by only his first name for the family’s safety. | |
| His story has circulated among his family and friends: At least 15 families he knows have fled to Italy, he said. Other relatives in Syria who were considering joining him in Egypt heard his story and decided to stay put. | His story has circulated among his family and friends: At least 15 families he knows have fled to Italy, he said. Other relatives in Syria who were considering joining him in Egypt heard his story and decided to stay put. |
| “Egypt was a calm country,” Mamoun said. “Now, there isn’t a calm country in the region.” | “Egypt was a calm country,” Mamoun said. “Now, there isn’t a calm country in the region.” |
| In the nearby 6th of October City, parts of which have come to be known as Little Damascus, the refugees say the official hostility has amplified the frustrations of Egyptians with their own faltering economy, and Egypt’s chronic insecurity since the toppling of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. | In the nearby 6th of October City, parts of which have come to be known as Little Damascus, the refugees say the official hostility has amplified the frustrations of Egyptians with their own faltering economy, and Egypt’s chronic insecurity since the toppling of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. |
| “My Egyptian neighbors say: ‘You’re taking our jobs. We’re done with you,’ ” said a woman from the Ghouta region near Damascus, where hundreds of Syrians died last month in a suspected chemical weapons attack. | “My Egyptian neighbors say: ‘You’re taking our jobs. We’re done with you,’ ” said a woman from the Ghouta region near Damascus, where hundreds of Syrians died last month in a suspected chemical weapons attack. |
| The woman, who lives alone, has changed the way she dresses to make herself less identifiable as a Syrian, and now peppers her speech with Egyptian colloquialisms. | The woman, who lives alone, has changed the way she dresses to make herself less identifiable as a Syrian, and now peppers her speech with Egyptian colloquialisms. |
| “The people who came here were already damaged,” she said. | “The people who came here were already damaged,” she said. |
| Refugees say their troubles have roots in a rally Mr. Morsi held in June in solidarity with the Syrian opposition, shocking many Egyptians, and cementing the link between the refugees and Mr. Morsi’s fate. | Refugees say their troubles have roots in a rally Mr. Morsi held in June in solidarity with the Syrian opposition, shocking many Egyptians, and cementing the link between the refugees and Mr. Morsi’s fate. |
| At the rally, one speaker approvingly compared the situation in Syria to the jihad in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union, while another insulted Shiite Muslims. Mr. Morsi said that he was severing diplomatic ties with Syria and, for the first time, spoke about his support for a no-fly zone. | At the rally, one speaker approvingly compared the situation in Syria to the jihad in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union, while another insulted Shiite Muslims. Mr. Morsi said that he was severing diplomatic ties with Syria and, for the first time, spoke about his support for a no-fly zone. |
| Many Syrians saw the event as an attempt by the embattled president to rally support among Islamists and feared they would be tainted by his troubles. After the military took over and some Syrians were arrested protesting with Mr. Morsi’s supporters, it made matters much worse for the refugees. | Many Syrians saw the event as an attempt by the embattled president to rally support among Islamists and feared they would be tainted by his troubles. After the military took over and some Syrians were arrested protesting with Mr. Morsi’s supporters, it made matters much worse for the refugees. |
| “The Brotherhood played with the Syrian cause,” said Mr. Taher, the filmmaker. “We didn’t leave Syria to get involved in another war.” | “The Brotherhood played with the Syrian cause,” said Mr. Taher, the filmmaker. “We didn’t leave Syria to get involved in another war.” |
| On a recent evening, employees at the VIP Cafe in 6th of October City swept away shards from the storefront’s shattered glass. What started as a scuffle expanded when dozens of local thugs smashed the cafe’s front and some of the tables and chairs. The owner, Osama al-Loge, said that the police came hours later and did not bother to listen to his complaint. | |
| “We were protected under the old regime,” said Mr. Loge, who said he found it simple to open his cafe when Mr. Morsi was president and the government seemed intent on easing life for the refugees. Now, he said, he goes to work and then home again, hoping he will not be noticed. | “We were protected under the old regime,” said Mr. Loge, who said he found it simple to open his cafe when Mr. Morsi was president and the government seemed intent on easing life for the refugees. Now, he said, he goes to work and then home again, hoping he will not be noticed. |
| “At least in Damascus we know who our enemy is,” he said. “Here, we’re never sure. The government? Thugs? Police? The people?” | “At least in Damascus we know who our enemy is,” he said. “Here, we’re never sure. The government? Thugs? Police? The people?” |
Asmaa Al Zohairy contributed reporting. | Asmaa Al Zohairy contributed reporting. |