Rasha Sadek examines the different voices heard at Tahrir, Maspero, Mustafa Mahmoud, Roxy and Abbasiya TAHRIR SQUARE: The iconic home of the revolution since its eruption on 25 January, the demands that emanate from the square have represented all strands of revolutionary opinion. Downtown's epicentre has witnessed occasions to celebrate, many more to mourn, in the last 12 months. During the fevered 18-day revolt calling for the ouster of a decadent, 30-year-old regime, the square was the site of protests demanding better living conditions, social justice and freedom. People from across the social, political and economic spectrum gathered there. Many were killed by the security forces. Field hospitals were erected in and around the square to treat protesters who were showered with tear gas, physically attacked and shot at by police and army soldiers. Funerals for the revolution's martyrs -- those murdered in clashes like the Battle of the Camel, or shot in nearby Mohamed Mahmoud and Qasr Al-Aini streets -- passed through the square. It was also the centre of a nation swept by euphoria when, on 11 February, president Hosni Mubarak was finally forced from office. For 18 days before that happened Tahrir did not sleep. Men and women, young and old, filled the square by day and night. Ramy Essam, the singer of the revolution, gave daily impromptu concerts. The crowds stood fast against the regime's water hoses, batons, tear gas bombs, rubber and live bullets. At night they sat in circles, discussing the future and the changes it must bring. They cooked, washed and cleaned in the square. They sang, sometimes a capella, at others accompanied by guitar. Some of them recited poems highlighting the injustice of the regime, the killing of a fellow revolutionary that day or simply articulating their hopes for a better tomorrow. MUSTAFA MAHMOUD SQUARE: On 28 January anti-revolutionary groups assembled in Mustafa Mahmoud Square in Mohandessin. They dubbed themselves the Sons of Mubarak and formed a Facebook group "We're Sorry, President". They wanted to see Mubarak remain in power, at least until his term ended in September 2011. On the first day they could be counted in the thousands. Later their numbers dwindled as ever more details were made public of the corruption that had infected the decaying regime. Their warnings against instability were lost amid the loud chants coming from Tahrir Square demanding change. Like those who assembled in Tahrir the Mubarak sympathisers in Mustafa Mahmoud were leaderless. But they still regarded Mubarak as the leader of the country, espousing the regime's own narrative that he had successfully moved Egypt towards progress, development and peace. Pro-Mubarak supporters in Mustafa Mahmoud Square kept a light schedule, appearing at noon and leaving by sunset. Their chants of "Alaa [Mubarak] tell your father the people of Egypt love you" didn't reverberate across Egypt, consistently drowned out by the rival Tahrir chants of "The people want the regime to fall" and "He [Mubarak] must leave, we will not". ROXY SQUARE: Mubarak sympathisers left Mustafa Mahmoud Square soon after the revolution began only to reappear in the summer in the residential district of Roxy, Heliopolis. This time they numbered in the tens, some carrying banners calling for stability, some supporting the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), others talking in nostalgic terms about the Mubarak era. "My loyalty lies with Mubarak. I am here to thank him for everything he did for Egypt," said one woman. "I am not against the revolution," insisted another, "but I cannot condone insults to our former president." ABBASIYA: Not really a square but rather a wide street with a fountain on the side, Abbasiya became home to pro-SCAF rallies. One such, on 25 November, was promoted by anchormen at Al-Faraeen satellite channel. Thousands turned out to chant pro-SCAF slogans before the channel's owner, Tawfiq Okasha, appeared amongst the crowds carried on another man's shoulders. A month later a second rally was held in response to demands coming from Tahrir that the ruling military step down. Music was blasted from speakers and groups of people formed dancing circles while across town, in Al-Qasr Al-Aini, there were bloody clashes between protesters and the army and security forces that left 16 dead and nearly 1,000 injured. The contrast between Abbasiya and Tahrir could not have been more stark. For the first time in months chants were raised supporting Mubarak, now facing trial on charges of corruption and ordering the killing of protesters during the 18-day revolt. Pro-SCAF demonstrators carried banners reading "El-Baradei is the enemy of God," and "El-Baradei and Hamzawy are foreign agents". Mohamed El-Baradei, the presidential contender who withdrew his candidacy last week and newly elected MP Amr Hamzawy were singled out for scorn, together with a number of leading women activists. The chant that most captured the attention of people outside Abbasiya, however, was "O Obama, you coward, you are an agent of the Americans". What it lacked in logic it made up for by managing, in Arabic, to rhyme. MASPERO: The site of the headquarters of state-owned radio and television, Maspero became the venue for Coptic protests against attacks on their community, including the bombing of Alexandria's Two Saints Church just a few minutes into 2011, and whose perpetrators still remained at large. In February Copts converged on Maspero after the Sol Church in Muqattam was burned to the ground. In May they returned, holding a two-week sit in to protest against the setting ablaze of Mar Mina Church in Imbaba. The Copts' demonstrations were a cry against the erosion of their civil rights and an expression of fears that their freedom of worship was being compromised. Just as Christians in Tahrir stepped forward to form human-chains to protect Muslims as they prayed, concerned Muslims expressed solidarity with the Copts' demands. Crosses were raised and next to them placards reading "With Muslim and Christian hand in hand, we'll build Egypt strong and grand".
