CAIRO: Over a thousand social and political activists, as well as unaffiliated citizens, gathered inside the Lawyers' Syndicate yesterday as part of the April 6 strikes, calling for immediate government intervention to bring down food prices and raise wages. Protests had originally been designated to take place in certain key points around the city, as well as in every local governorate. According to a detailed map published yesterday in Al-Badil newspaper, demonstrations would take place in Cairo's state universities (Cairo, Helwan and Ain Shams) as well as Giza and Tahrir Squares. However, after what was described as an "unprecedented campaign of intimidation by the Ministry of Interior, and a vast mobilization of state security, Cairo, under an eerie yellow sky, was subjected to a strange stillness unseen in recent years. According to sources, over 80 activists and politicians were arrested from their homes and offices late Saturday evening, including Mohammad Ashqar, a leading figure in the Kefaya movement, and Magdy Hussein of the Labor party. Early Sunday morning, one female blogger, who did not wish to be named, told Daily News Egypt, "My mother's generation is staying at home. They are scared of what the police will do, but they also remember scenes of violence from the 1970s, and thought people will be taking violent action such as burning cars. But there is nobody here except masses of security. It's a good thing though; it means the government is afraid. Demonstrations were expected to begin at 2 pm in Tahrir Square, however, many activists and ordinary citizens, fearing arrest, initially refrained from participation. Groups of students and journalists gathering on the pavements outside Tahrir Square were given swift warnings and were moved on by security. At the universities, the picture was similar, with large numbers of police security guarding not only the main gates but open spaces within the university grounds. "We have a certain place where we protest outside the faculty of commerce, Mayil Bassiouny, of Socialist Students, told Daily News Egypt. "As you can see, they have turned it into a football pitch. They have also erected television screens to distract would-be demonstrators. What is even stranger is that police security, who are always present in the university in plain clothes, are wearing uniform today. According to sources at Helwan University, security forces blocked the main gates and surrounded the university with security vehicles to prevent demonstrators and journalists from entering. In Downtown Cairo coordinators of the April 6 movement made steps to relocate the demonstration. At first we tried the Journalists' Syndicate, however, since the recent elections, the syndicate committee has been controlled by the government. The head of the syndicate Makram Mohammed Ahmed is a member of the National Democratic Party, Kefaya member Karima El-Khilfany told Daily News Egypt. We immediately took action to move it to the Lawyers' Syndicate, where we can guarantee freedom of expression. Despite this, there were still violent measures taken when people chanting slogans tried to enter the syndicate. They allowed some people in but kept others out using violence. In the Lawyer s Syndicate forecourt, angry demonstrators chanted slogans expressing their acute discontent with the current regime, and their support for the demands of the workers of Ghazl El-Mahalla. Amidst calls for the removal of President Hosni Mubarak, protesters raised up a wheelchair bound protester dressed in straw rags. After a series of chants, they attempted to drive the wheelchair through the security wall surrounding the syndicate but were driven back. This is peaceful protest with credible demands, there is no need for so much military security, Lawyer Khaled Mohammed Awad told Daily News Egypt. Why does President Mubarak not given any statement over the radio and television to at the least acknowledge this protest and show some concern. In Europe they go out and ask people their opinions; here they surround them with police. After two hours of furious chanting, led predominantly by barefooted, Egyptian flag clad veteran campaigner Zeinab Al-Hagg, demonstrators went their separate ways. However, Kefaya campaigners promise that this is only the beginning of what they claim will be an intense period of strikes and demonstrations. They said Kefaya was dead said Karima Khilfany. But this is only a start of a revolution.
