CAIRO: By early morning, a few thousand Egyptians had taken up positions in central Cairo's Tahrir Square, chanting anti-military junta statements and calling for an end to the military council rule over the country. The Friday protest, dubbed “the Friday of regaining honor,” comes after clashes a week ago today began after the military attacked a peaceful sit-in at the country's Cabinet building. The ensuing violence left at least 17 protesters dead and over 700 injured after the military and police used live ammunition, rocks and rubber bullets against the stone-wielding protesters. It was the latest string of clashes between protesters and the military. Late last month, at least 70 protesters were killed in clashes on Mohamed Mahmoud street, just off the iconic Cairo square. Massive amounts of tear gas and live ammunition was fired that the protesters then, which galvanized hundreds of thousands of Egyptians to take to the square to denounce the military brutality against protesters. “We won't stop,” said Ahmed Aggour, a protester who delivers updates from the frontlines on Twitter during every stand-off. “My helmet is broken, but we will continue to battle until we can show the country that change can happen and the military that we knew is not the same as the one in power,” he told Bikyamasr.com recently. Aggour pointed to the reality, and uphill battle, of military propaganda on state television and radio. “People see the military as the heroes of the 1973 war [with Israel], but that was 40 years ago and we have to show them the brutality and killing that they are now delivering.” The goal of Friday's protest is to bring out one million people in a show of numbers against the continued rule by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), who despite claiming in February they would remain in power no longer than 6 months, remains entrenched as the new overlords of Egypt. The violence meted out to protesters, and especially female activists, during this past week's clashes has left many in the country moving away from their stalwart support of the military council. “I didn't believe the military would do that and I was refusing to believe it for too long,” said 29-year-old mother of two Nadine Tadros, a Christian who participated in the 18 day uprising that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak earlier this year. “Then I saw the images on the Internet that my friends showed me. It is appalling,” she told Bikyamasr.com at a local cafe on Qasr el-Aini street, adding, “and so today I will join my fellow Egyptians in protest against the military because it is the right thing to do.” There is a tense calm on the streets around downtown Cairo early Friday morning, as the military increases its presence along the barbed wire checkpoints and behind the massive stone walls they have erected over the past month to combat the protesters. For now, however, after weeks of mourning, Egyptians are hopeful that this Friday will finally be a day to galvanizing and jumpstart a renewed revolution that will oust the military from its position of power. “I hope people come to the streets, because if they don't, the military will likely attack and we will see more death and injuries,” added Aggour, continuing to implore his fellow Egyptians to join the protests for change. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/3FkUE Tags: featured, Occupy Cabinet, Protests, Restoring Honor, SCAF, Tahrir Section: Egypt, Latest News
