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As I write this very late Friday night, the streets are mostly peaceful in Egypt – or as Al Jazeera notes
4:17am Al Jazeera’s Amyman Mohyeldin says the streets of Cairo are “still abuzz” but peaceful. The curfew, which thousands have defied since it came into effect at 6pm yesterday, is in place until 7am.
And there are already reports like this starting to circulate:
BBC Arabic: Al Masry Al Youm correspondent in Ismailia – hundreds peacefully protesting in industrial areas this morning.
as well as calls for blood donors for those injured over the past few days.
No one is sure what Saturday will bring. The army is out in force in all major Egyptian cities. Whether they will stand with the people or with the regime is not certain yet.
You can watch live at the FDL link to the Al Jazeera English news – click here to go to our full coverage of the Revolution in the streets of Egypt and you can sign on to our petition to Congress to end military aid to Mubarak by clicking here.
Around the world, people will be demonstrating at the Egyptian Embassies in their cities. Go here to get information on locations and times and join us.
And remember that other countries are protesting as well:
In Jordan, thousands marched in Amman and other cities to demand the prime minister, Samir Rifai, step down over rising prices and unemployment, in a protest after Friday prayers organised by the Muslim Brotherhood but including members of socialist parties and unions.
In Yemen, socialists, Islamists, and youth activists had shut down Sana’a yesterday to demand President Ali Abdullah Saleh resign.
…while the people of Tunisia continue to demand real reform and the ouster of all remnants of Ben Ali’s government rather than settling for half-measures.
The video above is from an Egyptian news source, Al Masry Al Youm, and it shows what the demonstrations look like from the street level. Here’s a translation of some of the protester’s comments in the video provided by “cnews:”
Assem Mahmoud: ” I am here because of the higher education they tell you about and then when you graduate there is no jobs, they say you’re not qualified, not qualified? but you’re the ones who taught me! You [the government] go and get workers from outside and we don’t work. I went into the army and lost one year of my life, when I came out there was no jobs. It’s just too much. This is why I’m here, I’m here demanding my rights. And we want fair elections. I don’t want to go down from my house to vote and find the security forces and the police standing and beating me up.”
Samira: “I would like there to be democracy in our country, and freedom, and that the youth may have a chance in life, instead of the corruption and the contacts. We want everyone to take what’s due to them [what is their right]”
Abu Ayman Iss, editor in chief (i think) of the newspaper “El Dostor”: I am sharing the youth’s demands and the demonstration. My position and my opinion is very clear which shows that the egyptian people refuse corruption, torture, rigged elections. This is the real voice of the people of egypt, the voice that is coming from the heart of Tahrir square. And the police is using extreme force.”
Old man with MASSIVE SMILE on his face :) Kamal Abou Itta chairperson of the Independent Tax Collectors Union: “OUR PEOPLE ARE HERE” (like finally, our people is here) We still have life, the smell of Tunisia came to us to free our country. Insh’allah, we will stay here until we change this system and we better the life in Egypt, and solve our problems, and until we restore the dignity of our people”
For all the words of pundits and reporters and us bloggers, the best words come from those marching in the Egyptian streets.
» Al Jazeera Live
» BenCNN
» Sultan Al Qassemi
» Mona Eltahawy
40 Comments
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To paraphrase a slogan from Clinton’s campaign from 1992, “Its the food prices, stupid”
I’m not saying food prices are the only reason for the protests, but I firmly believe that prices are the proverbial straw that broke the camels back.
While the banksters on Wall Street drive up the commodity prices to make billions of dollars, people around the world have a choice, starve or revolt. I am certain they will choose the later.
Joe Biden and the US Chamber of Commerce are both vociferously backing Mubarak, so I guess this revolution is over.
Mubarak needs to step down.
Mohamed ElBaradei: “If Not Now, When?”
http://www.truth-out.org/mohamed-elbaradei-if-not-now-when67255
Then again, if Biden and the Chamber of Commerce called all the shots, the revolution would never have started.
Democracy is infectious. Strategic interests? SO let’s see how this democratic movement in Egypt is “utilized” by “certain interests” with very strategic/economic interests?
If the U.S. public were conscious and organized there would be protests in support of Egyptian democracy.
Listening to Mid-east “experts” discussing how Mubarak will survive this is funny.They must live in the same detached world as Obama & Mubarak. Watching 5 minutes of Al-Jazeera tells you he’s toast.
The only thing Americans would organize for is a Super Bowl party. Nation of morons
On the bright side for Mubarak, Baby Doc’s villa in the south of France is ready for move-in.
“Egyptian armored vehicles and security forces mobilized and left their posts along the border with Gaza and opened heavy fire at angry Egyptian citizens who want to break into the Gazan side of the border, also there are sound of explosions along the border.”
http://mideastnews-danmike.blogspot.com/2011/01/imnadz-confirmed-egyptian-military.html
Looks like 50 years of US imperialism and double dealing are finally biting this maladministration in the ass. Obama is screwed. You know he (and Billary Clinton) desperately want their trusted autocrat to keep power in Egypt–but have to maintain the facade of advocating for “democracy.” The curtain is being pulled back for all to see. The US is just like every other power hungry empire. We don’t give a tinker’s damn about democracy in the rest of the world–and we sure as hell don’t here in the “land of the free.”
It’ll be interesting to see how Obama plays this. He’s going to have muster all of his triangulating “talents” to spin this one.
@nolanjazeera:
Driving across Cairo not seen a single cop! Civilians directing traffic at some intersections as even traffic police have gone.
Maybe you and Bluetow could become US citizens and lead the march, set us all an example then.
I found this article by Marc Ginsberg to be helpful in understanding some of what’s going on.
if you follow that will make a total of 3 marching
You’re talking to someone who calls himself “dark knight”.
Hey “dark knight”, does your mom know you’re on the internet?
The plutocrats and the hangers on and courtiers loathe “democracy” and are fearful of revolution. It reminds them that ultimately power resides with the people, or in Rahm’s words the “fuckin retards.”
I am shocked I see no discussion anywhere about the elephant in the room. Israel. If those gates to Gaza are thrown open there is no telling what could happen.
Read the Ginsburg article, he seems to be saying we can’t trust and should fear the Arabs if they elect their own leaders.(they might be anti-American, god forbid) And the line about “after all we’ve done for them” was repugnant. Just mho. And R. Fischer, thanks for the profound contribution to the discussion.
I bought black, white, red and gold ribbon last night and made pins for people to wear. They say, “Egyptian Democracy Now!”
I am going to make sure I get 100 people wearing them and well informed about what Egyptian Democracy means…
It’s a small start.
spot on
I’m happy for the Egyptians. They inspire me! But what saddens me is that the only “change agents” we have in this deracinated culture are the Tea Baggers, who ally themselves with the oppressors. How the heck could you get USians to do what the Egyptians have done? Americans are more divided and demoralized than oppressed Egyptians. Seems to me the valve will open–but in what way and how? Barry Oilbummer is much like Mubarak–doesn’t give a damn about the plight of the lower classes. Yet, yet…how do we band together and get what we want???? It is so depressing.
But let me not be depressed. The Egyptians are so inspiring!!!!
I want one of those ribbons. Sell them on the internet and I’ll buy a few and give em to my friends.
I’m with you, man, just let me finish shoveling snow from my nearly quarter mile long driveway and then drive 60 miles to the nearest city where someone might be outside to notice my protest sign.
and sorry my “handle” doesn’t suit you, care to suggest one that does? Name means nothing to me.
you poor s.o.b. then again I envy you being so far from “civilization”!
Shades of the Chinese democracy movement in the late 80′s. Did not end well when the People’s Army opened fire on the protesters.
Obama has likely told Mubarak that the U.S. will support any efforts to restore “order and stability” on the streets of Egyptian cities.
Hope you have access to Al-Jazeera, looks to me like the army won’t and can’t back Mubarak (unless they are willing to shot about 80+ % of their fellow citizens. Most video shows army and protesters happily mingling together.Very imspiring, restores some faith in mankind, too bad we are such sheeple.(sp?)
I’ve got the article open and have started reading. Thanks for sharing the link.
What a great idea! Please post a picture of your pin. I’d be interested in using it as a model. What part of the country are you in?
Thanks go to “demi” for the link
I guess you’re too young to remember the democracy movement in China and what eventually happened.
I suspect that’s true and that there will be agents provocateurs to justify it.
The U.S. is unlikely to muster a “democracy movement” because the public has the attention span of a flea. They are like little children that are easily mesmerized by bright shiny objects.
If the Egyptian troops open fire on the Egyptian people it will be done in the dark of night. Of course it will be under the cover of restoring “safety and stability” i.e. keeping the U.S. puppet Mubarak in power.
I did follow Tiananmen Sq. very closely. Granted this Egypt revolt could still go bad, but if my memory is right the Chinese had to withdrawn the first troops and had to dig up distant forces that were willing to carry out the repression.Lots of other factors different between both revolts (to me) so having trouble drawing too many direct parallels. other then over-riding “dictators like to crush the people”Comment 36 is also spot on
I wasn’t complaining, just stating the facts, and in clear sight of my 60th year, I don’t need you calling me, “poor,” or anything else.
Pardon me. I was only trying to lightheartedly express my sympathy for you having to shovel a 1/4 mile driveway, if I was there I’d offer a hand. Sorry you thought of it as an insult.Us “old farts” need to help each other.haha