By Heba Fahmy
CAIRO: Hundreds of protesters remained in Tahrir Square on Sunday insisting on staying until their demands are met.
Some protesters called for the release of all those detained during the revolution, others demanded the removal of the government which was handpicked by ousted president Hosni Mubarak, and others await the lifting of the emergency law.
“We demand the release of all of those detained during the revolution,” Mohamed Abbas, 21, told Daily News Egypt, “That should happen today — we stay in Tahrir until we die or our demands are heeded.”
“Mubarak is not all the regime, we want the entire regime to leave,” employee at an internet café, Mahmoud, 21, told Daily News Egypt.
“The government and ministers are still from the same corrupt regime, especially Minister of Education Hani Helal. We want them all to go,” university student, Nesma Salama, 19, told Daily News Egypt.
After the army reportedly tried to dismantle the tents and force protesters out, thousands joined to support the latter.
Others went to Tahrir Square in a bid to convince the remaining protesters to leave and arguments broke out around the square.
“Mubarak left and all the corrupt officials are going to be tried, we need to give the army a chance to implement reform,” Moahmed Salah, 27, told Daily News Egypt. “If they don’t, we will come back to Tahrir.”
Salah said he participated in the revolution from the start on Jan 25.
Despite reported scuffles in the morning, protesters said that the army treated them with respect and didn’t force them to leave the square.
“The army is respecting the people’s freedom because the people have already been through enough under Mubarak’s regime,” Ahmed Mohamed, an Arabic teacher, told Daily News Egypt.
Dozens of civilians were seen cleaning the square and painting the sidewalks.
“We cleaned the country from the corrupt regime and now were cleaning it from the litter,” university student Abdel Aziz Al Mahdy, told Daily News Egypt.
Others were seen assisting the military police in cordoning the protesters to prevent them from getting in the way of traffic as well as regulating the traffic flow in Tahrir.
“I love my country and the military welcomes our cooperation,” said Mohamed Saad, 21.
