A protester gestures at riot police during a demonstration at Qasr al-Aini Street near Tahrir Square in Cairo January 24, 2013. (Photo: Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany)Major demonstrations across Egypt are taking place Friday against the ruling government, led by the Muslim Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party, a full two years after secular and liberal activists forced the long-standing Mubarak regime from power.
Reports of clashes were coming from Tahrir Square as supporters of the ‘pro-democracy revolution’ continue their struggle for reform by turning their political and social critique against President Mohamed Morsi, the still dominant military class, and a newly approved constitution that they say does not embody the revolutionary values they fought for.
“We are here today to celebrate the anniversary of the revolution, and make it clear to the government that things are still as they were before the revolution,” Ayman al-Diasty, spokesperson for the April 6 movement, one of the leading reform groups still active in its push for deeper change, told the Egypt Independent.
Al-Jazeera reports on the demonstration, some of which turned violent, in Cairo:
Hundreds took to the capital’s now iconic Tahrir Square on Friday morning, where youths protesting against the government clashed with Cairo police.
The ministry of health said 16 people were wounded in the violence.
A witness, speaking to the Reuters news agency, said at one point riot police used one of the incendiaries thrown at them to set ablaze at least two tents erected by the youths.
Tahrir square, which was the epicentre of the 2011 protests, is expected to further fill with crowds who oppose the government of Mohamed Morsi, the president.
The Guardian, which is providing live updates here, shared this report from Patrick Kingsley, their correspondent on the ground in Tahrir:
There’s trouble down at the southern end of Tahrir Square, as police and hundreds of protesters take it in turns to lob meaty chunks of rubble over two makeshift walls built to protect the Interior Ministry from attack.
It’s personal, says one of the stone-throwers, Karim Ali – revenge for the protesters killed by police since 2011. “The police are behaving the same as they did during the Mubarak years,” says Ali, carrying a slingshot.
During particularly violent volleys, the crowd surges back to avoid being hit. Some aren’t so lucky and are treated for head-wounds in the field hospital to the north. Teargas hangs in the air, and young girls walk through the crowd offering tissues to those with tears streaming down their face. Many wear scarves to keep out the gas, and a lucky few have gas masks.
______________________
______________________
The Egypt Independent adds:
There have been calls for major protests in Upper Egypt, Nile Delta and the North Coast, including the governorates of Aswan, Qena, the Red Sea, Assiut, Minya, Gharbiya, Kafr al-Sheikh, Damietta, Daqahlia, Suez and Alexandria.
Six marches kicked off across Mansoura, the capital of Daqahlia Governorate, after Friday prayers. Hundreds of protesters chanted against the regime and demanded immediate policy reform, particularly concerning the economy.
The Dostour, Strong Egypt, Nasr and Popular Current parties led four marches, while the April 6 Youth Movement and the Revolutionary Socialists led the other two, chanting “one hand.” The atmosphere became tense when one march passed a Muslim Brotherhood-sponsored fair handing out food to celebrate the revolution.
______________________
