On Friday the 27th of May, 2011, tens of thousands of mostly liberal protestors carried out another revolution in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Egyptians from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds have been protesting for the overthrow of the regime of President Hosni Mubarak beginning on January 25, 2011. Protests were focused on legal, political, and economic issues including police brutality, state of emergency laws, lack of free elections and freedom of speech, uncontrollable corruption, high unemployment, food price inflation, and low minimum wages. President Hosni Mubarak resigned on February 11, 2011 and the military’s supreme council was decided to run the country.
The liberals, those who believe in the importance of liberty and equal rights, pressed for a set of demands in a demonstration billed as “The Revolution Part II” on the military council. This time, the protestors demanded for an end to the practice of sending civilians to military trials, the expediting of legal action against Mubarak and his associates, and for the start of governing with some civilian presidential council.
The liberals, those who believe in the importance of liberty and equal rights, pressed for a set of demands in a demonstration billed as “The Revolution Part II” on the military council. This time, the protestors demanded for an end to the practice of sending civilians to military trials, the expediting of legal action against Mubarak and his associates, and for the start of governing with some civilian presidential council.
Some liberal groups are also calling for already planned parliamentary elections to be delayed so that they will have more time to prepare. The new parliament that is set to be elected on September will be selecting a committee to write a new constitution for the country. However, the liberals are demanding for the formation of a new constitution before the election. “We can’t go to elections without having a constitution first,” a 29-year-old accountant named Ezz Eldin Hamid said. “You put the plan first then go to the game, not the other way around.” The Brotherhood, on the other hand, which is confident that they will win a big part of the parliament, wants elections to take place at set time.
Friday’s assembly of protestors was significant for it displayed the liberal group’s strength to launch their own movement against Egyptian politics. It was the first time since Egypt’s first protest in January 25, 2011 that the Muslim Brotherhood did not support a major street protest. The Muslim Brotherhood is Egypt’s largest political opposition group. The Brotherhood opposed Friday’s protest because they believed it to be “an attempt to drive a wedge between the military and the people.” The results of the protest are yet to be announced.
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