Tahrir Square stands vacant of chanting protestors today, the first time that relative calm has descended on the Square since the January 25 Revolution. Central Security Forces and military police continue to block the Square's entrances, exits and traditional revolutionary flare-up locations. Tahrir is now filled with Central Security vehicles, armored vehicles, military police forces, police forces and major security officials. Some Tahrir Square shop owners hired private security personnel to protect their property in the event of clashes between protestors – cordoned behind security lines – and police forces. Municipal workers are cleaning, repairing and decorating Tahrir Square following the nearly month-long sit-in launched July 8 by secular and liberal political forces. Some Egyptian citizens in Tahrir today asked for the suspension of protests on Fridays, and underlined a need for stability particularly in the economy. While the Egyptian stock market has been volatile, the trials of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak caused a rally, regaining previous days' losses. Other citizens who declined to be named said they participated in the Tahrir Square protests during and after the January 25 Revolution. Egyptian political forces staged a sit-in in Tahrir Square for nearly a month. The demonstrators asked for the demands of the January 25 Revolution to be met, and for trials of former regime officials to be fast tracked. On Monday August 1 military and police forces – supported by angered civilians – broke into Tahrir Square and forcibly ended the largely peaceful sit-in.
