Egyptians Mark 1st Anniversary Of ‘Friday Of Rage’

CAIRO (AP) — Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo’s downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of “Friday of Rage,” a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

On last year’s “Friday of Rage,” Mubarak’s security forces fired on protesters who streamed into the square, killing and wounding hundreds. The day ended with a collapse of Mubarak’s much-hated security forces. Millions of Egyptians, fearful of prison breaks and chaos, went out into the streets to protect their houses and neighborhoods.

A year later, Islamists and liberal, secular-leaning protesters were divided over the message.

The Muslim Brotherhood group, fresh from an overwhelming parliamentary election victory, celebrated the day.

Muslim Brotherhood supporters and others note that the military council, which took over after Mubarak stepped down, has pledged to hand over power to civilian rule after presidential elections by late June. Polls show a substantial proportion of Egyptians hope for an end to the demonstrations and a return to economic stability, encouraging the return of tourists and investors.

Liberals, suspicious that the military council doesn’t intend to fully transfer power to civilian rule as it has promised, called their rally, “Friday of dignity and honor,” vowing to continue their protests.

They accuse the military council, headed by Mubarak’s longtime defense minister, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, of perpetuating Mubarak’s authoritarian methods, saying that even though Egypt has just held its freest election in decades, Egypt’s deeply rooted culture of dictatorship has not changed.

Protesters chanted “down with military council,” ”O Marshal, leave leave,” and calls for retribution for the killing of protesters were heard in the square on Friday. Signs hanging overhead read, “the people are a red line,” with pictures of generals.

“We can’t celebrate when there’s no justice for those killed,” 30-year-old Amr Sayyed said. “The Muslim Brotherhood is talking about justice, but not how or when.”

Abdel-Hady el-Ninny, the father of slain protester Alaa Abdel-Hady, said “this is a day of mourning, not celebration.” El-Ninny came with relatives and friends carrying large posters of his slain son and walked around the square.

On Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of the beginning of the uprising. The gathering was peaceful.

On Friday the Brotherhood set up a giant stage at one corner of the square, and members secured entrance points, checking people’s bags and identification cards. The Brotherhood’s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, had their pins and flags on sale in the square.

An unidentified child speaking into the microphone on the Brotherhood stage said, “I’m here for protection of Jan. 25 revolution,” referring to the date the popular uprising erupted last year.

“I listen to the leader of the Brotherhood because (what he says) comes from Islamic rule,” said Mahmoud el-Qaffas, 45, noting that the revolution succeeded in giving Egypt free elections. The Brotherhood’s party swept the voting, winning nearly half the seats in the parliament.

During a Friday sermon, an unidentified preacher addressed protesters praying in the square declared, “Our right is to dictate the decisions of the revolution.”

A year after his ouster, Mubarak is on trial along with officials from his regime and two his sons over charges including complicity in killing of protesters during the uprising, corruption and misuse of authority to amass wealth. He could face the death penalty.

Mubarak has been taken from his hospital to court sessions on a hospital bed. A crowd of protesters carried a small bed with a puppet depicting Mubarak, chanting, “the people want execution of the ousted one.”