Clashes erupted in Egypt nationwide during commemorating of January 25 second anniversary

The protests in Egypt marking the anniversary of
January 25 Revolution

On January 25 2013 Egyptians have commemorate the second anniversary of historical Revolution which toppled the long standing President Hosni Mubarak and his regime.

On the eve of January 25 several political groups and parties have announced they will participate in the marches to mark the anniversary.

Muslim Brotherhood and its political wings, such as Freedom and Justice Party and Al-Nour Party, have declared that they will not participate in any kind of street actions and demonstrations holding instead of it the press conferences discussing the ways of developing Egypt’s economy and starting the campaign to develop Egypt, which includes health care, education issues etc.

Oppositional parties and movements, revolutionaries and activists have announced they will hold several marches in Cairo and also in other Egyptian governorates to commemorate the anniversary of the Revolution and also to protest the monopolization of the state’s power by Islamist political forces and demanding the fight for the revolutionary goals to be continued.

Protests in Cairo

Several marches have been organized in Cairo in different districts. Each of them have been dedicated to the specific problem or demand, with some of the marches being against the rule of Muslim Brotherhood and the so called “Brotherhoodisation” of Egypt, other protests calling for the revolutionary demands such as “freedom, bread, justice”, other protests have been calling for the social justice etc.

All of the Cairo marches have been started traditionally after Friday noon prayers when the demonstrators started to move heading to Cairo’s Tahrir Square and to the Presidential Palace in Heliopolis. Tens of thousands have gathered in Cairo’s iconic square and in the main squares of the cities in other Egyptian governorates such as Alexandria, Suez, Port Said, Assiut and many other cities.

The protests but turned violent after the demonstrators have clashed with Security Forces in Cairo and also in other cities. The CSF forces tried to disperse the crowds using the tear gas, there have been also reports about the bird shots and even using the live ammunition.

Some governmental buildings in several governorates have been stormed by protesters, headquarters of Muslim Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party have faced attacks too.

The clashes resulted in nine deaths in Suez and Ismailiya, where the clashes have been the most violent, and in hundreds of injured people including the policemen and soldiers.

Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy have held the emergency meeting and also addressed to the people stressing that the violence should be halted and promising to investigate the violent cases. Mohamed Morsy have cancelled his visit to Ethiopia due to the turmoil and violence in his country. Prime Minister Hisham Qandeel who participates in the Davos meeting now is also expected to come back to Egypt.

Egypt's CSF forces

Egypt’s opposition headed by the National Salvation Front has issued the statement with the list of demands to the state’s authorities and to the President. Among their demands are creating the independent committees to investigate the crimes committed during the marches on January 25 2013, formation of the legal committee to amend the Constitution which the NSF considers being illegal and unrepresentative, the formation of the national salvation government and also subjecting Muslim Brotherhood to the law as they have been the main element of Egypt’s administration during more than year without any legal basis.

Muslim Brotherhood in its turn accused the opposition and the media in misleading the people and sparking anger and hatred towards the ruling powers in the country and inciting the violence.

Meanwhile the clashes continue in Egypt after the Court has announced today the verdict regarding those convicted in Port Said football massacre. After the verdict was pronounced the clashes erupted in Port Said leaving nearly 40 people dead and hundreds injured.