My articles over the last two months have been somewhat brushed with an alarmist tone that is characteristically alien to my normally dry writings. But never since February 2011 have I been more genuinely worried about Egypt than I am right now. The reason for my profoundly increased sense of worry is that the potential for a wider outbreak of politically induced violence has become more alarming than ever before.

A few days ago, clashes erupted between protesters, Muslim Brotherhood members and policemen by the Brotherhood’s headquarters atop the Muqattam hill. More than 250 were injured, according to one report, some of whom were grievously wounded. Some of those who came to the protest appeared to have been set on clashing from the start, while others were perhaps drawn into them through the heat of the events. While we’ve become no strangers to images and stories of violence, there was nonetheless something this time that was just more personal in all the violence.

Later that same night, some on the other side reciprocated by threatening escalation, with former presidential candidate and The Flag party founder Hazem Abu-Ismail seemingly suggesting a siege or a protest. Later, Abu-Ismail and others stated they would not protest, but some Islamist protesters did, blocking employees from entering for sometime, harassing guests and presenters (some reports claim “assault” of certain presenters and attempts at breaking into the city), and clashing enough to require tear gas. The Islamist protesters displayed a genuine hatred for many of the private media outlets and figures which were largely aligned with the opposition, and saw them intentionally promoting upheaval due to what they see as a profound hatred to anything Islamist. Those supporting them on social media were not a few, and shared much of their sentiments.

The language on social media and in real life from many of those opposing both ends of the political spectrum was, and continues to be, more troubling than ever before, and I have been quite the close follower over the last two years. There is greater hate in the language used. A more profound enmity. A more belligerent attitude. On social media, public threats or embraces of violence as inevitable or desirable were more common and visible than before. Some also speak in a more sectarian tone, and approach this as an outright religious conflict. Many of those who tried to speak calm were either met with a “it’s too late” response, if not outright ridicule or criticism, or even bashed altogether. And the private media’s conduct, the defense of its freedom being one of my main dedicated causes, at times appeared to be on the other side of being constructive and professional.