pol Link: , , , CAIRO: Different demands were raised by two demonstrations in Cairo today, Friday. The first demonstration called on Egypt's ruling military council to hand over power to a civilian authority. The second supported the country's military rulers and demanded the demonstrators in Tahrir Square suspend their demonstrations, which the group said impede the interests of the country. About 3,000 demonstrators rallied in Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the country's January 25 Revolution, to express their refusal of the statement issued by the ruling military council after its meeting with the political powers. The demonstrators refused the extension of the transitional stage and insisted on achieving the demands of the revolution. Before Friday prayers, the demonstrators raised banners criticizing the policies adopted by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). The Kefaya Movement, one of Egypt's oldest protest movements, distributed a statement refusing the agreement concluded between the Vice President of the SCAF, Samy Anan, and the political parties, which it said have no role or effect in the Egyptian street. The statement said the agreement as circumvents the people will and attempts to undermine the revolution. It called for a march on December 12, in memory of the first march organized by the movement in December 2004, to demand the authorities respond to the demands of the Egyptian revolution. The demonstrators also demanded that authorities reduce prices, as soaring prices could lead to a hunger revolution. They also demanded the people choose Egypt's next president from among the January 25 revolutionaries. A number of the independent youth erected a tent in the middle of the square, calling it the "tent of freedom marches." They called for organizing a strike to complete the objectives of the revolution, especially as the rulers have not achieved any real demand of the revolution since overthrowing the former regime. Ayman Gad, on of the youth in the tent, said the group is composed of 300 independent youth who call to organize freedom marches across the country. He said they will hold a meeting with the supporters of potential presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abou Ismail and other coalitions to organize a strike. Meanwhile, the Roxy Coalition – a group of demonstrators known to gather in Roxy Square in opposition to those gathered in Tahrir Square – strongly refused today's "return to your barracks" demonstration. They announced that they will organize a peaceful demonstration under the slogan "return to your houses" to express their protest against the increasing demonstrations in Tahrir Square. Sherif Fouad, the organizer of the demonstration, said the objective of today's protest is to refuse the increasing demonstrations organized in Tahrir, as such demonstrations impede the interests of the country. He added that the Roxy demonstration aims to support the ruling military council until power is handed over to a civilian authority. They denied supporting Egypt's former president, Hosni Mubarak, clarifying that they only support the ruling military council. In recent months Egyptians have been divided over whether continued demonstrations and strikes across the country are ensuring or impeding the goals of the revolution that ousted Mubarak and his regime earlier this year.
