Protesters turn creative out of necessity after 25 January

Breaking the fear barrier unleashed many forms of creativity from protesters after 25 Janauary

Protesters who took to the streets on 25 January, 2011 have since then been determined to get their message across at any cost. In the face of a government trying its hardest not to listen, those protesters have tried to find new methods of communication. Jack Shenker, the Guardian correspondent based in Cairo and London, explains, "I think the ultimate manifestation of creativity during the ongoing revolution has been the process of Egyptians reclaiming agency over the space around them, after decades of having that space controlled, subdued and detached from them by a security-conscious, private-wealth-orientated regime." Shenker has been a long-time observer of Egyptian politics and has lived in Egypt for the past four years covering numerous protests and events.
The 18 days that toppled Mubarak witnessed different slogans to the ones heard at the steps of the Press Syndicate and other small protests. Chants created by protesters were quick to respond to events. Ahmed Maher, co-founder of the 6 April movement and its coordinator, says, "There are more chants and slogans specialised to every issue because there has been more awareness." When security forces attacked protesters on 2 February, for example, protesters quickly began saying, "Hosny went crazy", turning the statement into a jubilant chant. And in the wake of Ben Ali's flight to Saudi Arabia, protesters likewise chanted, "Mubarak, Saudi awaits you." In order to reflect his faith that Mubarak's days were numbered and the determination not to leave without reaching that end, one protester and occupier of Tahrir squarewrote, "Leave already, I miss my wife."
The novelty of jokes and chants was overwhelming enough for BBC Arabic to film a report entitled The Laughing Revolution. Shenker says, "The rhythms and jokes of the protests' chants and the wittiness of many of the signs haven't just made the experience of protest more fun – they've become a central pillar of the revolution itself, providing a visible contrast to the rigidness and dour inflexibility of those defending the status quo." Protesters have attempted to add even more colour to the protests recently. "The use of masks of the martyrs for example was very creative and also the use of the Vendetta mask which bears a lot of symbolism." Graffiti flooded the streets in a form of expression with no need for words or voices.
Last year alone noted the rise of numerous graffiti artists to fame such as Sad Panda, Keizer, El Teneen and others. The most recent was the use of the walls the walls built on Mohamed Mahmoud as art space. "The work of people like Ganzeer stands out because I think he brings a consistent political consciousness to his activities," Shenker said. In times of danger, protesters put their lives on the line. An image imprinted in the minds of millions as a symbol of the revolution was captured when an iconic protester stood casually in the face of the water canon truck on 25 January 2011 to fend off police attacks; a gesture of pure simplicity and creativity.
When ambulances refused go into where the attacks were taking place, brave men on their motorbikes transported the injured. Protesters also formed chains in order to create paths for the wounded. When soldiers were killed on the border and Egyptians demanded the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador, Ahmed El Shahat scaled 21 stories and took the flag down in order to reflect the voice of the people. "Now people are not afraid of the police or the army, there are lots of people protesting and no one dares to stop their activities," says Maher. Ahmed Abdallah, the director of Microphone, also points out how important protesting was off the streets. "Protests are not just on the street, videos and songs are forms of protest that are no less creative," he says.
Online, one can find numerous videos highlighting the lies of the state, which are contrasted with video evidence. Facebook groups with funny and reflective names were created: "We are the ones who never said those in Tahrir are traitors", for example. Campaigns make their way from the virtual world to the streets and are true to the spirit of the revolution. To counter state rhetoric, the campaign Askar Kadhiboun (Military liars), whose title was taken from the Tahrir newspaper article that pointed to lies spread by the SCAF, showed everyday people the violations and brutality of the Egyptian army against its own people and created a dialogue on the streets, a marriage of online and street activism. "Creativity was also important in moving work through different media, like a film that moved to , a YouTube video transferred to mobile phones – till we finally saw videos by the campaign projected onto the Maspero building," Abdallah explains.
Maher sees creativity as essential to putting the message out there. "The use of imagery in Kadhiboun is very important, these are things we couldn't do before." After the Port Said massacre, football fans merged political chants with sports chants. "What has changed is psychological: many Egyptians are now willing to look around them and think, ‘This environment is something that I have a right to, as part of a wider collective, and I am going to do things within it which are colourful, political and playful – no one can tell me not to!'" says Shenker.
"Egyptians are reimagining what creativity is and where it can flourish."
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