Protesters gather in Tahrir square for new ‘Day of Anger’

Latest update : 2011-07-08
Nearly five months after the downfall of Hosni Mubarak’s regime, thousands of Egyptians converged on Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Friday to urge the nation’s new military rulers to speed up democratic reforms.
Nearly five months after former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a popular revolt, thousands of Egyptians descended on Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square on Friday to urge the nation’s new military rulers to speed up the democratic reforms they have promised.
THE FRANCE 24 INTERVIEW
Analysts maintain that a tight election timetable will not give new parties enough time to prepare and build up support against the Islamist group, which has a grassroots network across the country.
The Muslim Brotherhood had initially declined to participate in Friday’s demonstrations when the goal was to pressure Egypt’s military council to delay parliamentary elections scheduled for September.
But following a change in the objectives of the protest, when organisers dropped their demand for delayed elections, the Brotherhood announced on Wednesday that they would participate.
“Their presence is likely to bolster the demonstrations,” Dridi says. “And they cannot afford to miss this great moment of national unity against the remnants of the Mubarak regime, which was their long-time political opponent.”
Date created : 2011-07-07