CAIRO -- Protesters demanding President Hosni Mubarak's ouster packed Cairo's central square by the tens of thousands Friday, waving Egyptian flags, singing the national anthem and cheering, appearing undaunted and determined after their camp withstood two days of street battles with regime supporters trying to dislodge them.(SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE BLOG)
Thousands including families with children flowed over bridges across the Nile into Tahrir Square, a sign that they were not intimidated after the protesters fended off everything thrown at them by pro-Mubarak attackers - storms of hurled concrete, metal rebar and firebombs, fighters on horses and camels and automatic gunfire barrages. The protesters passed through a series of beefed-up checkpoints by the military and the protesters themselves guarding the square.
A man sitting in a wheelchair was lifted - wheelchair and all - over the heads of the crowd and he pumped his arms in the air. Thousands prostrated in noon prayers and immediately after uttering the prayer's concluding "God's peace and blessings be upon you," they began chanting their message to Mubarak: "Leave! Leave! Leave!"
According to Al Jazeera, hundreds of thousands gathered near Tahrir Square. One correspondent for the network said that Friday's protests marked the loudest crowds he had seen yet.
BBC Arabic reported that Mohammad Rifaha Tahtawi, the spokesman for a major university in Cairo, submitted his resignation and joined the protests. According to the New York Times, Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi appeared with -- but did not join -- protesters in Tahrir Square. Earlier in the week, a state TV anchor resigned in protest.
In the afternoon, a group of Mubarak supporters gathered in a square several blocks away and tried to move on Tahrir, banging with sticks on metal fences to raise an intimidating clamor. But protesters throwing rocks pushed them back.
The Arabic news network Al-Jazeera said a "gang of thugs" stormed its offices in continuation of attacks on journalists by regime supporters that erupted Thursday. It said the attackers burned the office and damaged equipment. The editor of the Muslim Brotherhood's website, Abdel-Galil el-Sharnoubi, told the AP that policemen stormed its office Friday morning and arrested 10 to 15 of its journalists. Also clashes with sticks and fists between pro- and anti-government demonstrators erupted in two towns in southern Egypt.
More detailed scenarios were beginning to emerge for a transition to democratic rule after Mubarak's nearly 30-year authoritarian reign.
Proposals floated by the Americans, the regime and the protesters share some common ground, but with one elephant-sized difference: The protesters say nothing can be done before Mubarak leaves, while the 82-year-old president insists he will serve out the remaining seven months of his term to oversee the transition process. Protesters labeled their rally the "day of leaving," a reference to their demand Mubarak go on Friday. Some held up signs reading, "Now!"
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Eliot Spitzer interviewed opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei asking him about conflicting reports about his decision to run for president. ElBaradei says, "If people want me to run ... I will not let them down."
Here's the interview:
Today 6:13 AM Obama's Remarks
The White House has released Obama's full remarks from earlier today, when he spoke at a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Here they are, edited to reflect only the Egypt-related content:
Obama: Let me close by saying a few words about the situation in Egypt. This is obviously still a fluid situation and we’re monitoring it closely, so I'll make just a few points.First, we continue to be crystal-clear that we oppose violence as a response to this crisis. In recent days, we’ve seen violence and harassment erupt on the streets of Egypt that violates human rights, universal values and international norms. So we are sending a strong and unequivocal message: Attacks on reporters are unacceptable. Attacks on human rights activists are unacceptable. Attacks on peaceful protesters are unacceptable.The Egyptian government has a responsibility to protect the rights of its people. Those demonstrating also have a responsibility to do so peacefully. But everybody should recognize a simple truth: The issues at stake in Egypt will not be resolved through violence or suppression. And we are encouraged by the restraint that was shown today. We hope that it continues.Second, the future of Egypt will be determined by its people. It’s also clear that there needs to be a transition process that begins now. That transition must initiate a process that respects the universal rights of the Egyptian people and that leads to free and fair elections.The details of this transition will be worked by Egyptians. And my understanding is that some discussions have begun. But we are consulting widely within Egypt and with the international community to communicate our strong belief that a successful and orderly transition must be meaningful. Negotiations should include a broad representation of the Egyptian opposition, and this transition must address the legitimate grievances of those who seek a better future.Third, we want to see this moment of turmoil turn into a moment of opportunity. The entire world is watching. What we hope for and what we will work for is a future where all of Egyptian society seizes that opportunity. Right now a great and ancient civilization is going through a time of tumult and transformation. And even as there are grave challenges and great uncertainty, I am confident that the Egyptian people can shape the future that they deserve. And as they do, they will continue to have a strong friend and partner in the United States of America.Q. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Is it conceivable to you that a genuine process of democratic reform can begin in Egypt while President Mubarak remains in power, or do you think his stepping aside is needed for reform even to begin?Obama: I have had two conversations with President Mubarak since this crisis in Egypt began, and each time I've emphasized the fact that the future of Egypt is going to be in the hands of Egyptians. It is not us who will determine that future. But I have also said that in light of what’s happened over the last two weeks, going back to the old ways is not going to work. Suppression is not going to work. Engaging in violence is not going to work. Attempting to shut down information flows is not going to work.In order for Egypt to have a bright future -- which I believe it can have -- the only thing that will work is moving a orderly transition process that begins right now, that engages all the parties, that leads to democratic practices, fair and free elections, a representative government that is responsive to the grievances of the Egyptian people.Now, I believe that President Mubarak cares about his country. He is proud, but he’s also a patriot. And what I've suggested to him is, is that he needs to consult with those who are around him in his government. He needs to listen to what’s being voiced by the Egyptian people and make a judgment about a pathway forward that is orderly, but that is meaningful and serious.And I believe that -- he’s already said that he’s not going to run for reelection. This is somebody who’s been in power for a very long time in Egypt. Having made that psychological break, that decision that he will not be running again, I think the most important for him to ask himself, for the Egyptian government to ask itself, as well as the opposition to ask itself, is how do we make that transition effective and lasting and legitimate. And as I said before, that's not a decision ultimately the United States makes or any country outside of Egypt makes. What we can do, though, is affirm the core principles that are going to be involved in that transition. If you end up having just gestures towards the opposition but it leads to a continuing suppression of the opposition, that's not going to work. If you have the pretense of reform but not real reform, that's not going to be effective.And as I said before, once the President himself announced that he was not going to be running again, and since his term is up relatively shortly, the key question he should be asking himself is, how do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt is able to get through this transformative period. And my hope is, is that he will end up making the right decision.Q. Prime Minister, can you answer this in English and French? Canadians will be asking how much of our sovereignty and our privacy rights will be given up to have more open borders and an integrated economy. And while I have you on your feet, I want to ask you about Egypt, as well, whether you feel that Mr. Mubarak should be stepping down sooner, it would help the transition?Harper: On the question of Egypt, let me just agree fully with what President Obama has said. I don't think there is any doubt from anyone who is watching the situation that transition is occurring and will occur in Egypt. The question is what kind of transition this will be and how it will lead. It is ultimately up to the Egyptian people to decide who will govern them.What we want to be sure is that we lead towards a future that is not simply more democratic, but a future where that democracy is guided by such values as non-violence, as the rule of law, as respect and respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities, including the rights of religious minorities.
Today 6:01 AM Shocking Video
Translator Jafar Jafari reports that Egyptian bloggers re-broadcast clips of a van deliberately speeding through demonstration lines near Liberation Square:
Egyptian journalist Ahmad Ismail describes the incident which occurred on Friday, January 28, 2011 (7:35 p.m. local time):
A Chevrolet van, green color, carrying a high ranking security official (or officials) storms demonstrators at Qasr El-Ainy Street, overlooking Liberation Square. The incident took place near the U.S. and British Embassies. The incident caused 14 casualties, of various degrees. No official report was registered with the police department. Last Friday, the day of the incident, witnessed one of the most intense confrontations between the police and demonstrations. Qar El-Ainy Street where the embassies are located is normally heavily protected, and meaning it would be extremely unlikely that the vehicle was stolen.
Watch the graphic video here.
Today 5:51 AM Description Of Arrest In Cairo
Nicole H., a 25-year-old graduate student at the American University in Cairo, studying Political Science and Middle East Studies, was arrested on Friday and sent HuffPost a description of her experiences:
A crowd once more formed around us with people screaming and spitting at the windows. The police did nothing to discourage this. A police man was sitting between me and the window and he leaned back to allow a man to call me a sharmuta (whore) and then punch me in the face. Luckily, he had to reach in through the window so he didn’t have too much strength behind it. Tom was sitting on my other side and he angrily pushed the guy’s arm back out the window.At this point the police decided to move us again. This time we were taken to a proper police station. We sat inside while they went through our stuff and continued to insult us. We were told that we were being handed over to the army, which was an unexpected relief. They moved us into a police truck, one with an open back and glass windows on the sides. I was wearing a hoodie and at this point I put my hood up and tried to conceal that I’m a foreigner. Eve and Tom look wonderfully ambiguous but there’s no doubt that I am non-Egyptian.Eve and I were holding hands and a man slid the window open in front of us to spit on us before Tom managed to get it shut again. I must admit that at this point I started crying and proceeded to bury my face in Eve’s chest as she held me and patted the top of my head and told me that we were going to be alright.The police drove us to an army checkpoint in Coptic Cairo. We were all so happy to be turned over to the army. They were polite and gave us water and tried repeatedly to calm us down, promising that we were safe now.
Today 5:41 AM Want Al Jazeera English In The U.S.?
Al Jazeera is organizing meetups on February 10th to demand the channel's presence in the US. Interested in getting involved? Find a meetup near you here.
Today 5:37 AM 'Tens Of Thousands' In Alexandria
This video from Al Jazeera shows 'tens of thousands' of protesters demonstrating again Mubarak in Alexandria. They remained out despite occasional rain throughout the night, saying that they would not leave until the president stepped down.
Today 5:26 AM Wael Abbas Speaks To HuffPost
Blogger Weal Abbas, who was arrested earlier today by the Egyptian Army, spoke briefly with HuffPost. He said:
The state media is inciting violence and hate against westerners and foreigners in the country. They are making any foreigner in the country look suspicious. And they are inciting violence against journalists who have cameras. Anybody who has a camera now is getting arrested.
Listen:
Today 4:50 AM First Journalist Reported Killed In Egypt
A journalist attacked in Egypt has died, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists:
Ahmad Mohamed Mahmoud, a journalist working for the newspaper Al-Ta'awun, published by the state-owned Al-Ahram Foundation, died today from gunshot wounds sustained on January 28, Al-Jazeera and the semi-official Al-Ahram reported today. Mahmoud was shot by what the newspaper described as sniper fire while filming confrontations between security forces and demonstrators in central Cairo's Qasr al-Aini area, which is adjacent to Tahrir Square. The death is the first reported media fatality during the uprising.
Today 4:27 AM Transition Of Power Must Begin Now
Obama said, "We continue to be crystal clear that we oppose violence as a response" in Egypt. He added, "The issues in Egypt will not be resolved through violence or suppression." He said that attacks on reporters, human rights workers, and peaceful protesters were "unacceptable," and that Egypt was violating international norms.
He then reiterated that "The future of Egypt will be decided by it's people," and stated again that, "There needs to be a transition of power that begins now."
Obama is asked if a genuine democratic process can begin while Mubarak is still in power. He responds that he has already stated that the transition of power has to begin now, and that the future of Egypt is in "the hands of Egyptians." He stated that, "The only thing that will work is engaging in an orderly transition of power that begins now."
Obama also adds that "I believe that President Mubarak cares about his country" and is a patriot. Obama stated that his advice had been to consult with those around him and to "listen to the Egyptian people."
The president stated that "If you have the pretense of reform, but not real reform, it's not going to be effective." He said of Mubarak, "How do I leave a legacy behind in which Egypt can get through this," adding, "I hope that he makes the right decision."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper weighs in on Egypt, saying "It's clear that transition is occurring and will occur in Egypt. The question is what kind of transition it will be." He then adds that whatever the transition, it must include rights for minorities and religious minorities.
Today 4:19 AM Obama To Speak
Obama is scheduled to begin a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
He is beginning with a summary of bilateral talks with Canada, and then taking questions about Egypt.
Watch live above.
Today 3:56 AM Video From Today
More footage from the protests:
Today 3:26 AM 160,000 Foreigners Out
According to the L.A. Times, 160,000 foreigners have left Egypt since protests began. The paper reports:
Airport officials told the Middle East News Agency on Friday that departure figure reflected departures only through Cairo airport. It did not include the number of tourists who left from smaller airports at the popular Red Sea resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, or the port city of Alexandria.
Today 3:21 AM Interviews With Average Egyptians
Translator Jafar Jafari reports that BBC Arabic interviewed average Egyptian citizens, learning that those who were captured and questioned by the demonstrators and residents virtually all were promised an additional month’s salary; meaning that they are employees of the State. They included employees of the Ministry of Oil, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Transportation and others. Some were actually professionally dressed, while others were clearly poor, dressed in local garb and ill or non-educated. They said that some neighborhood friends came to support Mubarak after being given 50-100 Egyptian pounds. Some extracted information clearly points to the direct responsibility of the new prime minister. (Jafar notes that the anchorwoman repeated the question to verify PM Shafik’s responsibility and the caller responded affirmatively.)
Today 2:43 AM Protesters Break Into Song
This video reportedly shows protesters breaking into song in Tahrir Square. Reports have come in that the mood in the square is festive:
Today 2:39 AM List Of Demands
Translator Jafar Jafari reports the following information from Khaled Abdel Kader, Chairman of Egyptian Geologists Society, who spoke by by telephone from Tahrir Square:
I am authorized to present a list of demands by the university students, graduates and under grads, participating and present at the Square:The objective is to solidify this popular revolution and bring the downfall of the regime, not just Mubarak, for its crimes against the Egyptian people throughout its 30 years.Immediate removal of Mubarak from the presidency and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, effective January 25, 2011. Nullification of all measures and decrees that were issued after that date.Immediately dissolve the two houses of Parliament since it lost legitimacy.Appointment of Commander Sami Anan, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, as provisional president as an acknowledgement of the armed forces role till the presidential elections are held. Should he decline, we nominate Amr Mousa, of the Arab League, to hold that office provided that he takes oath in front of High Court Council and to include his pledge to fulfill popular demands of political and economic reforms.Formation of a broader government headed by Dr. Mohammad El-Baradei to include all the factions participating in this revolution: January 25 Movement; Muslim Brotherhood; Kifaya; Al-Ghad Party; National Front Party; Nasserists; and other participants. Its sole mission is to maintain law and order.
Today 2:32 AM Egyptian Prime Minister Speaks
Prime Minister Ahmad Shafik spoke on
According to National columnist Sultan Al Qassemi, he said:
 | @ SultanAlQassemi : Ahmad Shafik: I doubt that the demand that Mubarak steps down is achievable |
| @ SultanAlQassemi : Ahmad Shafik: What logic says when I change a govt I must change 100% of it. This doesn't happen anywhere in the world #Jan25 |
Today 1:08 AM "You Will Be Lynched": One Reporter's Harrowing Account Of Violence In Cairo
HuffPost's Jason Linkins writes the following:
Bloomberg reporter Maram Mazen was not acting in her official capacity as a Bloomberg reporter when she was attacked by Mubarak supporters and pro-regime police forces in Cairo. She was in Egypt's capital on vacation, accompanying friends who were delivering food and medical supplies to injured demonstrators. But her account of the attack she faced is as harrowing as any we've heard.
We got out of the car when we arrived at about 11:30 a.m. in Talaat Harb square near Tahrir, our planned transfer point for the medical supplies. We felt somewhat safe, as one of the demonstrators had told us it was a secure entrance. When I left the night before, it was controlled by anti-Mubarak protesters.In less than a minute, a mob of about 40 civilian men surrounded our car, banging on the vehicle and grabbing our bags. They looted 1500 Egyptian pounds ($256) worth of medical supplies and 800 pounds worth of food and drinks, uninterested in our explanation of whom it was for.
Things degenerated from there. Mazen and her compatriots fought off the mob and managed to drive away. Pursued by the angry mob, they sought protection, unsuccessfully, first from the uniformed soldiers who had helped to preserve order and protect demonstrators during their February 1st march, then from uniformed police. But when a member of the original group of attackers accused Mazen and her friends of running people down with their car, those police weren't inclined to help.
A policeman took away the car key, and about 50 men in plainclothes and five policemen started pounding on our car. They asked our nationality -- we were all Egyptians -- and accused us of being Palestinians, Americans and Iranians. And, they said, traitors to Egypt.Mazen and her friends were eventually, safely, transported to a downtown police station, where they were detained and questioned. Overall, the tone of the police can best be described as paranoid. At one point, it was suggested that the police had to act hostile toward Mazen and her friends, or else they would have been attacked themselves.For about 30 minutes, though it seemed more like an hour, the crowd grew, reaching between 100 and 200. They smashed the back windshield, shattering glass all over the car and in our clothing. Men got onto the roof of the car, jumping and yelling. We tried to hold it up with our hands so it wouldn’t fall on us.Then uniformed policemen took our ID cards and searched the car, our bags and our pockets. They took both my mobile phones and Mahmoud’s Blackberry, promising to give them back.[...]A policeman looked me in the eye and said: “You will be lynched today,” running his finger across his neck. Others spat on us. They hit the two men in our group in the face through the broken windows, scratching Mahmoud and punching my other male friend. Someone pulled my hair from the back.
As they were released, they were given a warning in the form of advice: “Go on Facebook and tell your friends the streets are not safe, and that they shouldn’t come to Tahrir. You were lucky to get out of there alive.”
Today 1:03 AM $3.1 Billion Loss For Egypt
The AP reports:
Egypt's economy has lost at least $3.1 billion as a result of the political crisis in the country, investment bank Credit Agricole said in a report released on Friday, as tens of thousands of protesters massed in downtown Cairo demanding the president's ouster.
The unrest that began on Jan. 25 led to the shuttering of businesses and companies, the closure of banks and the stock exchange and the exodus of thousands of tourists as the demonstrations. The ensuing violence almost overnight drove a nation once seen as a pillar of stability to the brink of chaos.
Credit Agricole, in one of the first assessments quantifying the damage to the economy, said the crisis is costing Egypt at least $310 million per day. The bank also revised down its forecast for 2011 GDP growth to 3.7 percent from 5.3 percent and said the Egyptian pound could see a depreciation of up to 20 percent.
The losses are the tip of the iceberg of Egypt's economic woes.
Today 0:57 AM Blogger Arrested
Blogger Wael Abbas reports that he has been arrested:
 | @ waelabbas : arrested by the army! |
Today 0:51 AM Leaders Join Protesters
Echoing what translator Jafar Jafari told HuffPost earlier today, Egyptian leaders are joining the protests, the New York Times reports:
Amr Moussa, the secretary general of the Arab League and a former foreign minister serving Mr. Mubarak, appeared among the crowds in Tahrir Square, seeming to align himself with the protest. Twice he sought to address the crowd, but both times he was drowned out by roars of approval at what seemed a tacit endorsement of their cause....And Mohamed Rafah Tahtawy, the public spokesman for Al Azhar — the center of Sunni Muslim learning and Egypt’s highest, state-run religious authority — told reporters that he was resigning because “I am participating in the protests and I have issued statements that support the revolutionists as far as they go.”
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