If you are abroad, then you probably have a hazy picture of what is going on here, but if you are in Egypt you will see nothing at all. Tear gas has that kind of effect and, unless you are wearing goggles, visibility is zero at certain points. Of course you cannot breathe as well without a mask. To those of you who want to go out and have coffee with friends, I suggest inviting them to your home or else you'll not be able to drink anything – masks don't come with drinking straws. Some might wonder where to buy masks and goggles from and I remember buying mine from a shop quite close to the newspaper. That was in 2011 and, since I have no sense of direction, I can't give you more info. Anyway, the area has many shops that sell such items. I think LE100 will be enough to buy a mask, goggles and also a helmet. Even though my set helped me survive back then, I'm not sure the mask will be good enough to avoid being suffocated by the new kind of gas recently launched on the Egyptian market. I remember I was walking in Tahrir Square with my mask on, when a lady stopped me and asked me to take it off. At first I thought she wanted to buy one or something, but she actually got the core out and inverted it. It must have been the filter and of course I didn't know that I was supposed to do this. No wonder I couldn't breathe with the mask on! I wasn't used to masks at the time and I still don't consider myself an expert. Last Friday I went to Tahrir, then spent some time downtown and I didn't have my kit with me – I regretted not being prepared, but it wasn't my fault, because many moons ago a friend borrowed the blower I bought to clean my computer with and, since she's allergic to dust, I thought I should lend her the mask and goggles. That was the last time I saw them! I believe I should lend her the helmet now, because my fist might give her brain concussion. On Saturday, I realised that she'd found the mask and sent it to me with her husband, who never gave it to me! But why should people wear such things on the streets? Because what was supposed to be a commemoration of the January 25 Revolution, turned into a massacre. Violence erupted in Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said and other governorates, but the bloodiest was in Suez. On Friday, some parts of Cairo were covered with smoke and, even though I was with friends on the 11th floor, we were coughing and our eyes hurt. Closed windows didn't do much to stop the gas from getting in. As we were going back home to Heliopolis at two or three in the morning, the streets were deserted. At certain points our car was the only one travelling on 6th October Bridge, which is usually teeming with vehicles, even at that time of night. After reaching home, I read a few reports to stay updated and realised that, even without the smoke, I couldn't get the picture – so many people were talking and, as usual, some of them came up with conflicting stories and analyses. This would be enough to confuse even a well-informed person. As for average people, they have been brainwashed for some time now. We knew we were going to have demonstrations, but no-one expected all that violence. Although the opposition leaders stressed the importance of keeping it peaceful, violence did erupt. I am writing this article on Sunday 27 and by now I've lost count of the number of those who have been killed and injured so far. Even the reports don't give identical numbers. Some television stations are making things worse by provoking people. For instance, one channel broadcasted people celebrating upon hearing the verdict in the Port Said case. Twenty-one defendants have been sentenced to death for killing more than 70 Ahly fans in Port Said Stadium in February last year. I am definitely a supporter of justice and I believe that murderers should not go unpunished, but there was no need to provoke their families by showing them people rejoicing at the death sentence for their sons. This is not the right time to fuel hatred and anger. Meanwhile, some individuals with no official titles made highly provocative statements, like the man who said that they could turn Egypt into an Islamist country and cancel all elections. I don't know what gave him the right to say so or who he thinks he is. I know that ex-convicts crawl out of the woodwork, threaten Egyptians on TV or in print then crawl back into their hiding places. People like him should remember that they can never take away the rights of Egyptian citizens – they will NEVER be allowed to do so. Before I go, I need to tell you that a friend lost her two cell phones in Tahrir Square on Friday. Since I can't contact her now, I don't know the details. If you think the poor girl couldn't defend herself because she's a female, I will tell you that a male friend lost his two phones downtown on Wednesday! He goes to the gym regularly, but that didn't stop two thugs on a motorcycle from snatching his bag off his shoulder. The crime rates were never that high in Egypt, which makes me think this is somehow organised, in order to make people feel insecure... just like the increase in sexual harassment. Is someone trying to force people to stay at home instead of going out and expressing themselves? Since this is the music section, I'll end it by mentioning John Lennon's epic ‘Power to the People'. Fight for your rights, but stay safe. My email is: [email protected]
