Revolution 2.0

Protesters wearing gas masks in Mohamed Mahmoud Street via www.arabawy.org

Entering its sixth day, the recent protests in Tahrir Square have grown immensely with thousands more Egyptians going to the square. I have been glued to twitter and the internet for the past two days, keeping a close watch as new updates unfold from state news, activists and journalists on the line.  The majority of the actual violence has been isolated to Mohamed Mahmoud street (شارع محمد محمود), a street just off the square downtown.  From what I understand, a front line of fighting has been formed on the street between the CSF (central security forces) or riot police and the protesters. Mohamed Mahmoud street leads to the Interior Ministry but it appears unclear at this point what certain protestors hope to do once they reach the ministry building.

I have known a number of foreigners that have gone down to Tahrir Square over the past few days.  The girl who worked in my same position asked me early yesterday afternoon if I wanted to accompany her yesterday.  Given the number of deaths, tear gas (US-made), guns and rock throwing, I was predictably hesitant.  But according to her, Tahrir Square itself is quite safe, as long as you stay away from Mohamed Mahmoud street. While my urge to witness history in the square itself is overwhelming, there are a few reasons I have not gone to the square. 

Monday night, when the violence was intensifying downtown, I was downstairs in the AUC Zamalek dorms, reading my twitter feed and watching the square live as shown on Egyptian tv. The atmosphere among the study abroad students was excitement, to say the least, and a number of them had already been to the square or were planning on going. I was talking to my friend Nancy, who is Lebanese and lives in the building, as she was getting together with a group around 8 pm to go downtown. Her and a study abroad student have emergency medical training and wanted to see how they could help.  There were also a number of study abroad students they were going with who just wanted to see the square for themselves.  One of them who I recognized from AUC and living in the dorms, an enthusiastic, blonde-haired, Georgetown student, was going with her.  After being introduced by Nancy, I told him I didn't think it was a good idea if he went down there.  Being a blonde myself, I know how much we stick out in Egypt.  Plus, SCAF had already released a number of statements saying the protests were orchestrated by "foreign hands," a common statement that is reverberated on state TV about Americans and Israelis being behind a variety of protests or violence in Tahrir, including the Maspero violence last month. 

Of course, they went anyway.  The next morning I find out that three Americans, possibly study abroad students from AUC, were shown on Egyptian state tv in the morning after being detained in Tahrir Square for throwing Molotov cocktails at Egyptian police.  Working in the Office of University Communications at AUC, I was quickly able to find out more information.  Turns out the buzz was true.  The three boys are all study abroad students that live in my dorm in Zamalek, one of them being the blonde-haired Georgetown student I warned not to go to Tahrir the night before. 

As of right now, the three Americans are still in Egyptian police custody.  According to a CNN article this morning, Derrik Sweeny, Gregory Porter and Luke Gates will be interrogated today in the presence of U.S. Embassy legal representatives. According to my boss, their fate is 100% in the hands of the public prosecutor. The Egyptian police are doing background checks on them now, to ensure they do not have a dangerous record or any information linked to them that might suggest they are spies for the US. Most likely I think they will be released in the near future, but will be sent home immediately, and likely black listed by the Egyptian government.

There is also a rising fear that xenophobia may once again arise as it did during the revolution as SCAF continues to blame incited violence on "foreign hands." Just yesterday I was walking with some friends in Dokki, a 10 minute drive from Tahrir, when we stopped to talk to a few guys hanging out by the Kasr al Neel bridge. After one of my friends who has blonde hair walked around the corner to take a picture, the Egyptian guys asked another of my friends if his blond-haired friend was a spy.  

As we walked around Dokki in search of a tower where we might get a view of the square, we saw a line of protesters streaming from Tahrir street in Dokki, walking towards Tahrir. A popular chant that we heard and one I heard repeatedly on television Monday night is "al-shab, yureed, sa'ut al nizam!" (الشعب يريد سقط النظام) meaning "the people want the fall of the regime!" 

Last night, after much anticipation, the field marshall and head of SCAF, Hussein Tantawi, finally made a speech around 7:30 pm. The speech was bizarre to watch as Tantawi spoke solemnly, espousing the same statements that have been said by SCAF in the past, as the camera switched between a straight on view and a crooked side angle. He said elections would proceed on November 28, as planned, and presidential elections would be in July 2012. One new comment was that SCAF officially accepted the resignation of the cabinet led by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, after rumors swelled that SCAF would not accept the proposal throughout the day.  

On twitter, the feeling from a number of journalists and activists was disappointment and frustration, although the response of some of the protestors in Tahrir appears to have been positive.  Opinions diverged as usual, however, and the fighting has continued into this morning.  

It is hard to say what will happen next.  Some people seem satisfied with Tantawi's speech, but the fighting continues. The idea that people continued to be shot and tear gassed as Tantawi spoke of the Egyptian people and the army as "one hand" is beyond my comprehension. It seems like little to nothing will stop the protestors now.  

There is also something incredible that happens downtown during these incredibly violent protests. You can see on tv how the masses of people create a lane for which motorcycles, ambulances and people can come through and help the injured.  People are raising money to buy medical equipment to send to Tahrir. My friend Maged went down to the Mohamed Mahmoud street on Sunday trying to stop the protestors from throwing rocks at the police and was shot in the leg.  He said within seconds of collapsing there was a group of people around him that tended to his leg and took him immediately to safety and towards a hospital.  Last night on tv I heard about the protestors creating a human barrier around a group of women who were also protestors, to protect them from being touched inappropriately among the crowds.  The unity among the protestors is really unique and incredible. 

For on the spot updates, follow me on twitter at @thelyons_roar. 

Update (11/23 4:45pm): I met up with my language partner, Nour, after work today and spoke to her about her experience in Tahrir last night.  She said the people were furious at Tantawi's speech all around her, notably the first speech he has made since Mubarak was ousted from power earlier this year. She spoke about how strong the tear gas was, much stronger than what was used during the January revolution and that it was increasingly slipping into the square from Mohamed Mahmoud street. The hospital (Medani) that is located downtown had also burned down enough that all medical equipment and supplies had to be moved elsewhere. AUC's Tahrir Square campus, located directly on Mohamed Mahmoud street, has seen terrible damage to its buildings, including one seen in flames via twitter during the day today. Nour said her classes were empty today, despite AUC's decision to continue to hold classes in New Cairo. If students are not in Tahrir, they are at home, likely scared of a repeat of the last revolution and the chaos that ensued following the fall of the state. 

Staying clear of downtown was a good idea. Nour said she was asked for her passport or Egyptian ID while she was in the square, and she looks clearly Egyptian. She was unsure of the authority of the person who asked her, but it was not a police officer. 

Now there are murmors on twitter of a possible truce between the CSF (police) and the protestors.  As of right now, the fighting has stopped for the first time in four days on Mohamed Mahmoud Street.