Egyptians mark anniversary of Friday of Rage

Cairo: 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 the 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 neighbourhoods.

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.

Authoritarian methods

Liberals, suspicious that the military council do not intend to fully transfer power to civilian rule as it has promised, called their rally, "Friday of dignity and honour" vowing to continue their protests.

They accuse the military council, headed by Mubarak's longtime defence minister, Field Marshal Hussain 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 yesterday. 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 Syed said. "The Muslim Brotherhood is talking about justice, but not how or when." Abdul Hady Al Ninny, the father of slain protester Ala'a Abdul Hady, said "this is a day of mourning, not celebration". Al 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 peacefully in Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of the beginning of the uprising.