Friday of Rage: 28 Jan 2011, Cairo

I Wanted To, but I Couldn't

The protests against the corrupt government that ignited on the 25^th of Jan were about to pass almost unnoticed. Almost all of us, Egyptians, were keen on showing the whole world the magnitude of the situation in our beloved country, Egypt. We were not going to give up until drastic positive changes happen. There were tens of thousands of people still there, sitting and even sleeping, overnight at the Tahrir square (i.e. liberation square) at down town Cairo. The official Egyptian TV and media kept giving false information; saying that the protests have been stopped. I really wanted to participate in the peaceful protest on Friday 28^th of Jan, but I had a take-home exam/case study that was going to be sent to me by e-mail on the same day; it was part of my Masters in Business program. So, I decided that I can not join these protests. Little did I know about what fait had for me.

They Forced Me to Join It

I woke up that Friday, and after a few hours all forms of communication has been cutout, only a few cable phone lines have been left working. So, I couldn't access my e-mail to download my take-home/case study exam. I went to the Masged (i.e. A holly place where Muslims pray); right next to my home and prayed Al-Goma prayer (i.e. Friday’s Prayer), and after the prayers, I saw a lot of people gathered for the protests. I had noting to do at that moment; as the internet was cutout and I couldn’t download my exam from my e-mail. I got more worried about what the rotten police forces and the corrupt government might do to the protestors, and what would be the result of such brutal actions, would we ever live in peace in Egypt again? Would they have it in them to kill all those tens of thousands of unarmed peaceful protestors?! All those questions came rushing in my mind. I decided that I want to be there when anything happens to those protestors. It would be better if we were more people; power in numbers. So, I decided to join the protests. I went up home to wear my shoes, as I went to Al-Goma prayer wearing slippers. My younger sister stood at the door blocking my way out. She was worried. She told me “It’s not safe, and you don’t know what might happen!!, and father said to keep out of trouble”, I ended up going anyway. I knew that the right thing to do is going there and join the protestors wherever they are going. Their act of cutting all forms of communication has forced people to go out of there homes in rage to join the protest and to protect the people who were already protesting in the streets. This is what President Sadat has called “Political Stupidity”.

Breaking the Fear Barrier

We have been living in fear for a very long time, and we have to speak up and stand up for our rights. After 25^th Jan, my fear of participating in protests has been broken. The large numbers of young, honest, decent, well-educated, and cultured people that was gathered there on 25 Jan gave me hope, and made me feel safe. They couldn’t possibly put all those tens of thousands of people in jail and if they do, their families will tell the world what happened. I remembered the story of young Khalid El Saeed; who was murdered by the police, at Alexandria, without a reason, and how his family showed the whole world this brutal act and stood up to condemn such acts, and protests ignited everywhere on such brutal acts done by the dishonest people working in our police (there is a good number of honest people in our police, I personally have some honest friends who are working in the police, but sadly the most powerful are the corrupt people in our police force. That’s what you get when you have a corrupt government).

They were very peaceful protests. It first started by calling people to join the protests while walking in small streets in my neighborhood. Then Shouting things like “The people want to drop the government”, “Freedom, liberty, and social justice”, “Gamal Tell you father that the people hate you”, “We are not Opposition or Ekhwan (Islamic brotherhood), and we are all the Egyptians ”and“ Peaceful protest”.

The Journey to Freedom

A lot of people from Nastr City; where I live, gathered for the protests. Then it grew as we marched along Nasr Road and Salah Salem Road. People polled into the protest; gathering to express their demands. There was no violence at all. Some, less educated people was attempting to throw rocks, but the people around them stopped them before they do so, urging them to keep the protests peaceful.

When we came across Abbaseya Square we gave the police officers, standing there, bottles of water to drink, we shook their hands telling them we are all Egyptians and we all are together in making Egypt a better country. Then we continued marching towards Tahrir square. Tens of thousands of people were moving from everywhere in Egypt towards Tahrir square; the symbol of liberty. They had one message to tell the whole world “We are Egyptians and we want our Human Rights, we had enough of Mubarak, he needs to leave us”. They were not going to leave Tahrir square unless Mobarak leaves his position as President.

While I was walking in the protest I saw a police officer taking off his official police uniform; he threw his dark police sweater to the ground saying “Damn the police”. Some of the police officers showed support to the protests; they saluted us and sometimes even joined in shouting our demands, but they didn’t march with us; as this would threaten their authority. Even the honest police officers believed in this protests, and they too had enough of their corrupt leaders. Those were mainly police forces that were in Nasr City and along Salah Salem Road and Abbaseya square. Their main job was to secure the safety of the protest and direct the protests. Sadly the police forces at Ramsis square and Tahrir square had a different job!!