Tag: march

  • Political groups plan Monday march to Shura Council

    Political groups plan Monday march to Shura Council

    Egyptian protestors march to Tahrir Square on 25 January 2013. Groups have called for marches to the Shura Council to coincide with the second anniversary of the Friday of Rage. (AFP Photo / Khaled Desouki)
    Egyptian protestors march to Tahrir Square on 25 January 2013. Groups have called for marches to the Shura Council to coincide with the second anniversary of the Friday of Rage. (AFP Photo / Khaled Desouki)

    Opposition groups and parties plan to march to the Shura Council on Monday, coinciding with the second anniversary of the Friday of Rage.

    The political groups held a press conference on Sunday morning and announced in a statement the planned march and a set of demands.

    The call for the march comes amid deadly violence in the cities overlooking the Suez Canal has left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

    According to the statement the march will be preceded by a prayer honouring those who have died “since 25 January, 2011 [and] the martyrs who have died over the past two days in Suez, Port Said and Ismailia.”

    The groups believe the violence in these cities has proven that “we are facing an authority which has not learned the lesson of the toppling of Mubarak’s regime…. an authority that still adopts the security solution and uses violence against protesters who do not feel any real accomplishment in the revolution’s goals.”

    After the prayer the protesters will gather at the Sayeda Zeinab Mosque in the afternoon and march to the Shura Council. The groups are calling on the security forces to “understand the lesson” and not assault the protesters who have the right to protest anywhere including outside the Shura Council, so long as they remain peaceful.

    The groups, which include the Revolutionary Socialists and 6 April Democratic Front, are demanding “retribution for the martyrs” and the trial of those responsible for their killings.

    The groups marching on Monday also include parties that are part of the country’s largest opposition bloc the National Salvation Front; Al-Dostour, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party and Social Popular Alliance Party.

    They are demanding that the Muslim Brotherhood disband, since it has no “legal status and interferes in the administration affairs of the country.”

    Ahmed Aref, the official spokesperson of the Muslim Brotherhood said: “Playing this card while the country is going through a crisis is unfair to say the least.

    “We will legitimise the status of the group after the upcoming parliamentary elections.”

    The opposition groups are also demanding the reformation of the Ministry of Interior and halting the use of the “void and deformed constitution.”

    The Coalition of the Revolutionary Forces is also planning two marches on Monday. One will start at the Sayeda Zeinab Mosque and the other will start at Omar Makram Mosque in Tahrir Square. Both marches will converge at the Shura Council.

    Mohamed Al-Saghir from the coalition said the point of the march is to bring down the regime and the institutions that the regime is built on.

    He says the step after bringing down the institutions is to hand power to the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court and elect a constituent assembly within two months to draft a new constitution.

  • In Pictures: Ultras Ahlawy, first ‘day of rage’

    In Pictures: Ultras Ahlawy, first ‘day of rage’

    Ultras Ahlawy have deemed Wednesday the “first of the days of rage,” during which they blocked access to the stock exchange building,  temporarily blocked access to one of Cairo’s metro lines and proceeded onto blocking the traffic on Cairo’s 6 October bridge.

    Ultras Ahlawy have been holding marches this week and distributing information nationwide to remind the public of the Port Said Massacre.

    Over 70 football fans died following a match between Al-Ahly and the Port Said based Al-Masry football clubs, on 1 February 2012.

    Photos by Ahmed Al-Melki

  • In Pictures: The birthday that never happened

    In Pictures: The birthday that never happened


    Gaber, also known as Jika, was fatally wounder during the one year anniversary of the Mohamad Mahmud clashes on 19 November 2012.

    Protesters staged a march on Saturday to honor Jika’s memory and celebrate his birthday. The march started in Tahrir Square, crossed Qasr Al-Nil bridge and came to a halt in Abdeen, in front on Jika’s house. There protesters were met by his father and activists from the Kazeboon campaign.

    Photos: DNE/ Hassan Ibrahim

     

     

  • In Pictures: Islamist parties gather at Rabaa mosque

    In Pictures: Islamist parties gather at Rabaa mosque

    The Muslim Brotherhood, in cooperation with many of Egypt’s Islamist groups, began assembling at Rabaa mosque in preparation for a march to support President Morsy and the ‘yes’ campaign for the upcoming constitutional referendum.

    The groups officially participating include the Islamic Legitimate Body for Rights and Reformation, the Salafi Calling, Gama’a Islamiyaa, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Association of Sunni Scholars, the Board of Trustees of the Revolution, the Salafi Front, Al-Nour Party, the Freedom and Justice Party, the Construction and Development Party, the Asala Party, and the Islah Party.

    Photos: DNE/ Mohamed Omar

  • Review: Millioneya marches and Morsy’s (old) declaration

    Before President Mohamed Morsy had issued a new constitutional declaration to repeal his old one, columnists continued to analyse the “million-man” marches that were organised in front of the presidential palace. Other writers denounced Morsy’s authoritarian approach in curtailing the judiciary.

     

    A president for the whole group

    Amr Al-Shobaki

    Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper

    Amr Al-Shobaki
    Amr Al-Shobaki

    President Morsy’s last public speech reflected the wide gap between the mentality of Egyptians and the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Shobaki argued. Morsy exploited those injured and killed in the revolution to issue a constitutional declaration that violated the basic principles of democracy.

    The columnist argues this is not limited to one wrong decision made by Morsy. It is rather his attempt to dominate almost all the country’s institutions, including the judiciary. Al-Shobaki denounces the Muslim Brotherhood’s manipulative sacking of the ex-prosecutor general by issuing the 21 November constitutional declaration.

    According to Al-Shobaki, the last declaration contributed to Morsy’s detachment from Egypt’s other institutions. He has failed to persuade revolutionary groups that his decrees really defend the 25 January revolution and its goals. Comparing the situation to the Mubarak era, the writer states that although the former president has stepped down, all the country’s institutions continue to be loyal to him. Morsy, on the contrary, has disrupted the work of almost all the country’s major establishments, although the people elected him.

    Al-Shobaki asks if Morsy will remain steadfast amid the ‘peaceful’ marches organised against him in front of the presidential palace. Or if he will be wise enough to back off, even if that conflicts with the desires of his Islamist group? Only time will tell, he says.

     

    Luck comes to those who deserve it

    Helmy Al-Gazzar

    Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper

    Helmy Al-Gazzar

    There is no doubt that the constitutional declaration has caused extreme polarisation between political groups, Al-Gazzar states. The streets have become a battleground for Islamists versus non-Islamists. However, throughout the difficult past few days, Al-Gazzar recognises the presidency’s efforts to end the turmoil.

    Vice-President Mahmoud Mekky has postponed the constitutional referendum for Egyptian expatriates and implied that the referendum in Egypt could possibly be delayed as well. Before Morsy met political and legal experts for a dialogue session, Mekky eased the situation by stating that the president might issue a new constitutional declaration to repeal his old one to end the growing division in the country.

    Al-Gazzar acknowledges the presidency’s initiatives to solve the crisis and believes that the turn has now come for opposition groups to take steps forward with Morsy. The writer calls on the National Front for the Salvation of the Revolution to make the most of this opportunity  to lead the country to a safe harbour. Addressing his readers, Al-Gazzar says that Egypt has previously managed to overcome harder situations and has paid a high price to history. Egyptians should now repeat their historic achievements to save the nation, Al-Gazzar concludes.

     

    Emad Al-Din Hussein

    Barricades and barbed wire

    Al-Shorouk Newspaper

    Hussein warns that a “social disintegration monster” has been unleashed following Morsy’s constitutional declaration. Observing the way different political groups have been controlling certain areas of the capital, maintaining popular committee checkpoints, and violently interrogating those with other political views, Hussein believes that the role of the state is being gradually eroded. He recounts how Muslim Brotherhood militias detained some of their opponents before handing them to the police.

    Muslim Brotherhood supporters are now in control of the Rabi’ah Al-‘Adawiyah Square, Salafis are encircling the Media Production City and the Supreme Constitutional Court, inciting anti-Morsy demonstrators to seize Tahrir Square. To Hussein, temporary concrete barriers in Qasr Al-Eini Street and Mohamed Mahmoud Street have now turned into a phenomenon extending to the gates of the Presidential Palace.

    To Hussein, they bear an uncomfortable parallel to similar barriers that accompanied sectarian conflicts in Lebanon and Iraq; a fate Hussein does not wish to see re-enacted here, especially given the current unprecedented level of political and sectarian tension.

     

    Ahmed Al-Sawi

    On crystal clear righteousness

    Al-Shorouk Newspaper

    Al-Sawi expresses his astonishment with the Muslim Brotherhood, who did not believe actor Talaat Zakariah when he accused demonstrators in Tahrir Square during the 18-day uprising of fornicating and drug use. Now the Muslim Brotherhood is claiming to have seen this themselves in the tents at the Presidential Palace.

    He recounts how Muslim Brotherhood supporters displayed contraceptive pills they claimed to have found in the tents.  He doubts they were ignorant of the events Zakariah described during the revolution. He believes they chose to remain silent and even accept these practices for the sake of ousting Mubarak, in the hopes of establishing their own rule after his overthrow.

    Al-Sawi wonders how the Muslim Brotherhood did not believe General Omar Suleiman’s warnings that the January revolution served foreign agendas and was funded by media tycoons. It took them two whole years to buy into Suleiman’s theories, but now they have imposed restrictions on satellite TV channels and encircled the Media Production City to demand the “purification” of the media.

    Even the ex-National Democratic Party’s accusations that revolutionaries were being paid in KFC meals are being repeated by Islamists, but this time opponents are accused of receiving supplies of La Vache Qui Rit cheese.

    It became even more shameful to Al-Sawi to see the Muslim Brotherhood finally realising that the pro-Mubarak demonstrators on the day of the “Battle of the Camel” only wanted to demonstrate peacefully, and that it was only the friction with their opponents that caused the casualties. Al-Sawi concludes that the Muslim Brotherhood did not believe any of this until they did it themselves.

  • Egypt crisis escalates

    Egypt crisis escalates

    Supporters of President Morsy clash with anti-Morsy protesters outside the Egyptian presidential palace. (AFP Photo / Gianluigi Guercia)

    Tensions ran high at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday afternoon when the Muslim Brotherhood announced its members would march to Heliopolis.

    Supporters of President Mohamed Morsy arrived at the palace and tore down tents erected by anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters the night before.

    Demonstrators in support of the president went through contents in the tents, claiming to have found drugs and alcohol. They painted over anti-government graffiti that had been drawn on the walls surrounding the palace the night before.

    “We are here to support the legitimacy of Dr. Morsy,” said Abdel Hakim Ahmed. “There is nothing better than this constitution.”

    Supporters chanted “yes to the constitution,” and “strike again, Morsy. There is still Al-Zend and Tahany,” in reference to notable anti-Muslim Brotherhood judges Tahany Al-Gibali and Ahmed Al-Zend.

    Others chanted, “the people demand the execution of Abdel Meguid Mahmoud,” the Mubarak-appointed prosecutor general who was dismissed by Morsy through his constitutional declaration.

    Central Security Forces blocked off Marghany Street in the direction of the palace, preventing anti-Morsy demonstrators from approaching. Police allowed pro-Morsy marches to advance through the left side of the street, and cordoned it off as the two sides exchanged opposing chants.

    Activist Nawara Negm said that supporters of the president attacked an anti-Morsy march to the palace, assaulting a group that was predominantly women.

    Those who had come to voice their disapproval of the president chanted, “sell, sell, sell the revolution, Badie,” and “we are not infidels, we are not atheists. Down with the rule of the Supreme Guide” as his supporters advanced down Marghany Street towards the palace.

    Going into Wednesday night, groups of anti-Morsy protesters gathered at Roxy Square and Qubba Street, calling for the downfall of the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood’s supreme guide Mohamed Badie.

    In Ramses square rocks and fireworks were thrown as clashes showed no sign of abating on Wednesday evening.

  • Morsy supporters head to presidential palace

    Morsy supporters head to presidential palace

    Morsy supporters head to presidential palace where opposition groups have staged a sit-in. Al-Dostour Party warned on 5 December that holding a pro-Morsy demonstration at the palace while opposition groups were already there could result in violence. (DNE/ Hassan Ibrahim)
    Morsy supporters head to presidential palace where opposition groups have staged a sit-in. Al-Dostour Party warned on 5 December that holding a pro-Morsy demonstration at the palace while opposition groups were already there could result in violence. (DNE/ Hassan Ibrahim)

    The Muslim Brotherhood and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) have announced a demonstration in front of the presidential palace on Wednesday afternoon, a day after opposition groups massed there.

    The Brotherhood spokesperson Mahmoud Ghozlan said the reason behind the rally was protecting the legitimacy of the state after Tuesday’s opposition march to the palace. “The Egyptian people elected the president legitimately and what they need now is to show their support of legitimacy to those willing to destroy everything and bring us back to ground zero.”

    FJP spokesperson Ahmed Sobei said the party had not decided whether they would leave at night or hold a sit-in in front of the palace. “We have the right to organise a rally or even a sit-in to support legitimacy, but we will never conduct any violent actions,” he said. “The opposition groups have the right to reflect their opinions and so do we.”

    Sobei said all the political groups supporting Morsy would participate in the rally. He mentioned Al-Nour, Construction and Development, and Asala Islamic parties.

    In response to the planned Islamist demonstration, the Popular Current called on its members to head to the presidential palace to support anti-Morsy protesters already there.

    Al-Dostour Party warned that holding a pro-Morsy demonstration at the palace while opposition groups were already there could result in violence. The party said it held Morsy responsible for protecting Egyptians from violence at both the palace and in Tahrir Square.

  • Participants, parties and protests

    Participants, parties and protests

    Security forces gear up for presidential palace protesters. (DNE/ Mohamad Omar)

    Protest participants:

    1)   National Rescue Front (Al-Dostour Party, Popular Current, Egyptian Social Democratic Party)

    2)   6 April Youth Movement

    3)   Revolutionary Socialists

    4)   Egypt Copts’ Coalition

    5)   Strong Egypt Party

    6)   Shia’a representatives

    Non-participants:

    1)   Freedom and Justice Party

    2)   Al-Nour Party

    3)   Building and Development Party

    4)   Al-Azhar

    5)   Al-Sha’ab Party

    6)   Al-Wasat Party

    Marching to the presidential palace:

    1)   National Democratic Front (excluding Al-Dostour Party)

    2)   Al-Dostour Party Students

    3)   6 April Youth Movement

    4)   Egypt Copts’ Coalition

    Marching to Tahrir Square:

    1)   Al-Dostour Party

    2)   Strong Egypt Party

    Occupying Tahrir Square after both marches:

    1)   National Democratic Front

    2)   Strong Egypt Party

    3)   Egypt Copts’ Coalition

  • “Final warning” marches to presidential palace

    “Final warning” marches to presidential palace

    Tahrir protesters demand the departure of Morsy. (DNE/ Mohamed Omar)

    Eighteen political and revolutionary groups have announced a march to the presidential palace on Tuesday to protest against President Mohamed Morsy’s recent decisions.

    The Final Warning march will oppose the Morsy’s constitutional declaration and the referendum on the draft constitution scheduled to be held on 15 December.

    The statement said they rejected a referendum on the proposed constitution as it was prepared by a Constituent Assembly that lacked ”legal, political and popular legitimacy.”

    “The draft that Morsy wants to hold a referendum on is actually a project to restrain the political, civil, social and political rights and freedoms of Egyptians,” the statement read. “It falsely divides the country into two camps; one with legitimacy and religion and the other against it.”

    Signatories to Sunday’ statement included Al-Dostour party, Popular Current, Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP), Karama party, Revolutionary Socialists, Kefaya movement and 6 April democratic front.

    The groups also said they would continue their sit-in in Tahrir.

    They added that President Morsy had failed to keep his promise to not hold a referendum on the constitution except after gaining a consensus of political groups.

    They warned Morsy that his legitimacy was “wearing out.”

    The Strong Egypt Party spokesman Mohamed Al-Mohandes said the referendum had to be held on 15 December according to the constitutional declaration of 19 March 2011 issued by Supreme Council of Armed Forces.

    “Back then, the declaration stated that a referendum had to be held in two weeks to end the transitional period as soon as possible; now it’s just to pressure people and deprive them of any chance to really understand the draft” he said.

    He added that the conflict between the presidency and the judiciary, fuelled by the recent constitutional declaration, raise questions on how the referendum will be monitored.

    “In my opinion, I expect the declaration to be suspended in the last minute before the referendum” Al-Mohandes said.

    Ahmed Atallah, member of the parliamentary committee of the non-Islamist Al-Wafd party said the political groups were using politics to influence people while the Brotherhood used religion. He advised those who oppose the constitution to call on religious figures to explain that democracy doesn’t contradict with shari’a.

    “The people are being fooled by the government,” Atallah said. “They will vote yes and this constitution will pass”

    Amr Moussa, head of the Conference party and former presidential candidate, also rejected the president’s call for a referendum. Moussa called Lamis Al-Hadidy’s live television show saying that “constitutions aren’t made like this”, and that two weeks were not enough for people to absorb and form an opinion on the constitution.

    He also called for an urgent meeting of the leaders of the National Rescue Front, a coalition of several parties and movements united against the president’s latest decisions.

    Moussa told talk show host Moataz Al-Demerdash that despite the two extra months the president allocated for finishing the draft, it was finalised in one night. “These two months should have been used to consult the public, unions, syndicates and universities.”

    On the other hand, Freedom and Justice party spokesperson Ahmed Sobei supported the president’s decisions. “This constitution ends a transitional period and allows establishing respectable state bodies,” he said.

    He added that 15 days were more than enough to read, analyse and discuss the draft constitution. “It’s only about 40 pages and a little over 230 articles,” he said.