AN attempt by hundreds of activists and legislators to stage several protests in various areas in the sprawling Egyptian capital to demand political reform was foiled on Tuesday as thousands of policemen blocked the way to Parliament and main squares, which could be potential places for the protests. An alliance formed by Mohamed ElBaradei, a potential presidential candidate, has slammed blocking the protests as unconstiutional. Tens of black-clad policemen and others in plainclothes Tuesday cordoned off Parliament building in central Cairo and turned away passers-by who wanted to cross the street, which also is home to the Cabinet building, and several ministries. Several activists, most of whom belong to the 6 April Movement, a group of bloggers and opposition figures calling for reform, along with legislators wanted to stage the protest outside the Parliament to demand constitutional reform and an end to the Emergency Law, which has been in effect since 1981. “Nobody will be allowed to protest here,” a State security officer said as a group of journalists huddled together and waited to cover the event outside the Parliament. His affirmation was clearly reflected in the way the centre of the Egyptian capital looked for most of the day on Tuesday. Policemen made their presence felt almost everywhere on the streets of downtown Cairo as they prevented people from waiting, and asked passers-by to show their identification cards. More than 80 activists were detained in separate areas across the capital and in the coastal city of Alexandria, while policemen prevented demonstrators from gathering outside the Press Syndicate to stage a protest, according to some members from the 6 April group. “The Government is fearful and this fear manifests itself in the uncivilised treatment it gives to the opposition,” said Ahmed Maher, a blogger and one of the organisers of the protest. “But still this treatment belies every claim by the ruling National Democratic Party to democracy,” he told The Gazette over the phone. Reform calls have been gathering momentum in Egypt over the past few years, while new players, including former chief of the international atomic energy watchdog Mohamed ElBaradie, has presented themselves on the political stage of this populous country. ElBaradie seeks to rally up support for his demands for amending articles in the Egyptian constitution that, according to him, restrict candidacy to the presidency to a limited group of people. Opposition leader Ayman Nour was also on Tuesday prevented from organising a march in central Cairo to demand reform, according to press reports. Nour had just announced that he would seek running for president in Egypt's next presidential elections, slated for September 2011. Some activists managed to go with their desire to protest at what they described as “lack of political reform” inside the Bar Association in central Cairo. The activists held placards and chanted slogans critical of the Government.
