Egyptians Want to Overthrow the Regime

Egyptians are marking the first anniversary of Mohamed Morsi's presidency with huge rallies across Egypt today [June 30], calling for him to leave office. Anti-Morsi campaign Tamarrod, whose name translates to rebel, says it has so far gathered more than 22 million signatures from citizens, which call for early presidential elections.

According to Egyptian blogger Nermeen Edrees:

@NermeenEdrees: People are taking up from where they left off on Feb 2011 #Egypt

Wael Khalil clarifies [ar]:

الشعب يريد اسقاط النظام… بجد

@wael: The people want to overthrow the regime… seriously

On January 25, 2011, Egyptians protested against the 32-year rule of Hosni Mubarak. Eighteen days later, Mubarak resigned. During the interim period, Egypt was ruled by the Supreme Council for Armed Forces [SCAF]. Following elections, Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood candidate, filled Mubarak's shoes, becoming president on June 30, 2012. Today, Egyptians take to the streets again calling for Morsi to step down and for an end to the Muslim Brotherhood rule of Egypt.

Egyptian protesters gather at Tahrir Square. Photograph shared by @LamiaHassan on Twitter

Journalist Mohamed Abdelfattah reports:

@mfatta7: There seems to be demonstrations in villages and alleyways where people never protested before. #Egypt

Protesters have started gathering at Tahrir Square, the epi-centre of the Egyptian revolution in downtown Cairo, since yesterday. In Cairo alone, several marches are being organised today, heading to both Tahrir Square and to the Presidential Palace. Also, pro-Morsi marches and rallies have been held over the previous two days and continue today. A fear many harbour is a clash between pro and anti-Morsi demonstrators, violence and bloodshed.

Tents put up at Tahrir Square last night in preparation for today's [June 30] anti-Morsi protests in Egypt. Photograph shared by @JanoCharbel on Twitter

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia shares another concern:

The US department of State issued a travel warning for Egypt.I believe it is normal thing especially after the murder of the US citizen Andrew Pochter in Alexandria’s clashes yesterday. The US marines have already been put on alert in Southern Europe so what happened in Benghazi won’t happen again in Cairo

You must know that there are calls by Ultra Radical Pro-Nationalists/Military/Nasserists for protesters not only to protest but to storm the US embassy. Those calls results of the anti-American sentiments growing among the Non-Islamists because they believe that the Obama administration is biased to the MB. US ambassador Anne Paterson is so much hated and many Egyptians consider her the American version of Lord Cromer.

I believe the MB would love to protesters storm the US embassy this happen so their political opponents as well the Egyptian army lose all the cards with Washington.

Morsi's first year in office has been a bad one for Egyptians, with fuel and electricity shortages, among many woes. Jasmine Elnadeem explains:

@Selnadeem: Most of people say that their cars have no fuel, they couldn't go work and decided to join the protest in #Tahrir. #Egypt #30_june

Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah shares the following note on Facebook [ar]:

حيث ان امي هزقتني على حالة الاكتئاب و اديتني درس في ازاي لما الشعب ينزل يشيل حكامه تبقى هي دي التفصيلة الوحيدة المهمة و كل خطط و مؤامرات الانتهازيين ولا تسوى أو تفرق، قررنا تفعيل خاصية التفاؤل. بكره احلى رغم كل شيئ.

و مساهمة مني في توحيد الصف الثوري هقول نقاط الاتفاق:

* يسقط كل اللي بيعذب و بيقتل و بيهين كرامة الناس

* يسقط كل اللي بيسرق قوت الناس و يدمر مساكنهم و صحتهم و بيئتهم

* يسقط كل اللي بيحرم الناس من فرجتهم او حلمهم او طموحهم، سواء بالقهر او بالافقار او بالوصاية الأخلاقية

* يسقط كل اللي بيتصالح او يتعاون مع الصهاينة

* يسقط كل اللي قراره تابع لأمريكا او غيرها

* يسقط كل اللي له سلطة من غير تفويض من الناس و كل اللي بيمارس سلطته بما يخالف تفويض الناس

* يسقط كل اللي ساهم في ان اللي عمل ايا مما سبق يفلت من المحاسبة

Since my mother ridiculed me for the state of depression I was in and gave me a lesson in how, when the people take to the streets to uproot their rulers, then this should be the only important interest and that all the plans and conspiracies being made by opportunists do not matter, I have decided to switch to optimism. Tomorrow will be better no matter what.

To unify the columns of revolutionaries, I would like us to agree on the following:

* To overthrow all those who torture and kill people, and humiliate them

* To overthrow all those who steal from people, destroy their homes, health and environment

* To overthrow all those who deny people their happiness, dreams and aspirations, whether through oppression, poverty or moral guardianship

* To overthrow all those who reconcile or cooperate with Zionists

* To overthrow all those whose decisions are based on American approval

* To overthrow all those who have authority without the approval of the people, and all those who rule against the approval of the people

* To overthrow all those who have helped any of those who have committed any of the crimes above from accountability

Many are keen to join the protests:

Donia Iskandar tweets [ar]:

كله ياخد دش ، يشرب الشاي أو القهوة ، يفطر ، يعد مع أهله شوية يصلي و يتكل علي الله و ينزل توكلنا علي الله ضد #مرسي و الإخوان

@Donia_Iskandar: Everyone take a shower, drink tea or coffee, sit with your family for a while, pray, and come down to the street to protest against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood

Others are giving protesters tips on how to remain secure online. Lobna Darwish tweets:

أقفل التحديث الذاتي في برنامج الإيميل على تليفونك على الشبكات المفتوحة حالوين القصر وما تدخلش أي كلمات سر على الشبكة, ولا https مش كفاية.

@lobna: Switch off auto-update from your emails on your mobile phones when using open networks around the Palace and don't enter any passwords even if you are using https

She adds:

ما تبعتش على شبكة الإنترنت المفتوحة حوالين القصر أي معلومات مش هتبقى مبسوط لو أمن الدولة والجيش ومرسي ووالدتك عرفوها.

@lobna: Do not send any information on the internet which you don't want the state security, the army, Morsi or your mother to know about when you are around the palace

And Bassem Sabry warns protesters not to eat or drink anything offered by strangers, after protesters in Alexandria reportedly got poisoned from drinking contaminated water handed out at a protest:

محدش يأخد مياة أو لكل من أي مصدر غريب. فيه تقارير عن حالات تسمم بين المتظاهرين من زجاجات مياة وزعوها غرباء.

@Bassem_Sabry: Nobody should take food and water from strangers. There are reports of poisoning among protesters after drinking water bottles distributed by strangers

Morsi supporters carrying sticks and shields in Cairo today. Photograph shared by Kareem Fahim (@kfahim) on Twitter.

The day has just started and may not be incident free.

Journalist Evan Hill reports:

@evanchill: Big column of maybe 150 men jogging through rally with sticks and helmets, maybe half of them with matching metal sheet shields

His report matches this photograph shared by Kareem Fahim on Twitter, which shows Morsi supporters, carrying sticks and shields, and wearing helmets.

Stay tuned for more coverage from Egypt as the day's events unfold.

Written by Amira Al Hussaini · comments (0)

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via Global Voices » Feature http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/06/30/egyptians-want-to-overthrow-the-regime/