Tahrir Square Is Back - Hundreds Of Thousands Protest In Cairo Against Israel’s Gaza Attacks (image-twitter/marionawfal)
Last night marked a new history in Egypt, as thousands gathered at Tahir square for the first time in decade, expressing solidarity to Palestine.
Tahir is considered to be very significant public place in downtown Cairo. The square gained its prominence during the 2011 Egyptian revolution against President Hosni Mubarak which was considered to be a pivotal moment in the Arab Spring. When the government was overthrown by the protesters, Tahrir Square became synonyms with major political change.
Ever since 2013, on Friday, the protestors once again reclaimed Tahrir square following the Arab Spring.
Public protests are illegal in Egypt but in Wednesday President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi told visiting German Olaf Scholz he could “call on the Egyptian people to come out and express their rejection” of Israeli action in Gaza and “you would see millions of Egyptians” in the street.
According to the attendees, when the protestors were seen approaching the square on Friday, armed forces stepped in to prevent a large gathering from forming.
But few escaped and managed to reach the square, with participants chanting “The people want fall of Israel”, reports Al Jazeera.
But they couldn’t stand there much longer, the protestors were beaten up by heavily and was chased away out of the square.
It was reported that 43 people who participated in the protest was arrested. Al Sisi has crushed dissent over the past 10 years from his coup. The protests at this point is very crucial. Palestine once again has become street dissent.
During the first week of attack, small protests broke out on a small scale and the Egypt government was alarmed because Palestinian cause is the most politicizing factor for the Egyptians youth and public opinion. Another factor that frightens Al Sisi is that 2011 was the climax of a process of dissent that started in the country in the year 2000, with the second Palestinian Intifada.
