Reliving Revolution in Egypt: Day 16 – Unions, Doctors and Lawyers Join in Protest

Protestor shows Full Metal Jacket Bullets used by police against them in the New Valley city of El Wadi

For each day during this nearly three week long anniversary, an excerpt of the Book “Egypt Unshackled” will provide you with the historical and social media highlights from each day of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.

Wednesday, 09 February 2011

Tweet of the Day: @pakinamamer I think Wael @Ghonim is the Harry Potter of our revolution! But I’m afraid if I start calling him ‘the chosen one,’ he’ll block me xD .#jan25

With Ghonim back, this would be a ‘viral’ day of preparation and anticipation for the huge march to follow on Friday. Labour unions across the country joined in solidarity and inCairohuge marches involved doctors and lawyers. The crowd spilled outside of Tahrir Square and headed towards the Egyptian Parliament building to directly protest against the Mubarak government.

The 16th day of the Revolution began with violence outside of Cairo. Ghonim had inspired people all overEgyptto demonstrate wherever they could against the regime.

Protests in cities outside ofCairo(and the glaring eye of live television cameras) quickly became police-led massacres. The restraint required inside the national capital (and heavily televisedTahrir Square) was nowhere to be found in other regional centres.

One of the most brutal areas of violence was the NewValleycity of Al Wadi Al Gedid where protestors were attacked and shot at with live ammunition.

The injury and death toll was horrific as unarmed protestors were set upon by machine gun carrying (and, apparently indiscriminately firing) police. Where rubber tipped bullets had been used in other parts ofEgyptto slow protestors, the police in theNewValleywere using full metal jacket bullets, thus the higher injury and body count.

@ahmednaguib Hell is breaking out in El Wadi El Gedeed (NewValley) according to a friend. 8 dead and tens of injuries.
@oghannam the police cut off the electricity and water about 2-3 hours ago, they fired live bullets at the protestors #NewValley#Jan25
@UKProgressive  Egyptian newspaper, Youm7, has images and reports of violence overnight in the town of Al-Wadi al-Jadid, 100 injured, 8 seriously.
@Shanfaraa‎ I received reports that police used machine guns against protestors yesterday in al-wadi al-jadid; 61 critical condition #Jan25

In what was described by many as a buzz-filled but coldest night of the revolution, temperatures dipped below 5C (40F) and protestors huddled together under thin blankets and slept underneath tank treads to keep them from moving and leaving the Square.

The mood was still buoyant and hopeful as the overnight crowd was the largest yet and their spirits were high.

Egyptian sarcastic humour was also abundant

@monasosh‎ Freezing #Jan25 I am tweeting from under a blanket :)
@B4SS3M‎ My car side mirror was detached …. yet it was left on car roof, no one ever thought of stealing it … people have changed. #Egypt#Tahrir
@badbanana‎ If Mubarak won’t leave, just build a pyramid around him. Problem solved, plus more tourism dollars.
@mcrudele‎ So if I understand this correctly, Wael Ghonim used his 20% side-project time at Google to overthrowEgypt’s government.
@litfreak‎ My mom is watching Sullied-man’s new interview on her laptop and yelling KADAAB! KADAAB! (liar) every 2 minutes. #Jan25#Egypt

There were a number of people in the Square reacting to surveys and other news from the USA about the revolution.

@tamsinchan Poll: 52% of Americans report having heard little or nothing about the #Egypt protests … “quelle surprise”#jan25
@gillyarcht‎ @Sarahngb bet those same 52% don’t even know where on the planetEgypt IS…!
@jessehand‎ I am afraid my fellow Americans have all but forgotten about #egypt and #jan25 since the Super Bowl aired.
@dcb23‎ @Sarahngb @youm7 depends on who u read – polling #’s: 82% majority of Americans side w/ anti-Mubarak protestors.

The Square itself was becoming a self-governing region of the city. Truly democratic and without leaders, it relied on consensus and social media to communicate location and times of meetings to discuss initiatives such as prayer locations, sanitation, hospitals, lists of the dead and food.

@tarekshalaby‎ Mornin’ revolution! Today at Tahrir there’s a meeting at 9am for civil engineers to organize and do urban planning of the Square! #jan25
@RiverDryFilm‎ Dozens of recycling bins have appeared in Tahrir today. Never seen recycling in #Egypt before! #jan25
@amnesty‎ The Women in the Square: the bravery of Egyptian women in #Egypt protests #jan25 Amnesty International
@ayaelb @monaeltahawy @3arabawy @waelabbas The makeshift hospital in Tahrir on Facebook collecting info on dead:#jan25

And labour unrest continues to spread as strikes, too numerous to mention, break out all across Egypt.

@lissnup‎ #Jan25#Egypt You know it’s a revolution when sending ppl back to work only results in thousands on strike
@3arabawy‎ the medical workers at the National Institute in Imbaba r now protesting in support of the revolution. #jan25
@AymanM‎ thousands of factory workers have gone on strike now in #mahalla#suez#helwan#Jan25#Tahrir
@AJELive‎ More strikes taking place in Mahalla andSuez. About 10000 workers at various factories in different cities on strike:
@3arabawy‎ tomorrow more oil workers from the provinces will descend onNasrCity to join protests in front of oil ministry. #jan25
@MostafaMGaafar‎ Train operators sit on the rails to block them in solidarity with protestor against Mubarak #egypt#jan25
@hackneylad‎ Public transport workers to go on mass strike inCairo tomorrow, pressure on the regime is mounting
@bencnn Labour unrest spreading like wildfire in #Egypt Govt media campaign against #Tahrir protest crumbling. #Jan25

The earlier announcement of an investigation got them nowhere, so now the government tried a few new tricks to persuade the protestors they were serious.

Have you ever tried building a dam to stop water flowing down to the sea? It’s impossible, yet this is what every action the Government undertook looked like. They would do anything to slow that which cannot be stopped. The inexorable march to freedom, begun the night before, was not to be denied.

Alas, like a chicken running around the barnyard without a head, the body had no idea it was finished.

@AymanM‎ #egypt min of interior releases 1150 prisoners from prison after reviewing their cases. Says more will be released #jan25#tahrir
@SisuKairo‎ 3 mass sms received from #Egypt’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) #Tahrir  @Sandmonkey … Interesting!
@Dima_Khatib‎ So Omar Suleiman is giving Egyptians a clear-cut choice: either you live with Mubarak or you live under the military #jan24#egypt

Mubarak by now must know he is in trouble. Many employees of his mouthpiece Nile State Television resign in protest over their manipulation and Al Ahram breaks free of its government censors.

@SuadHani‎ #jan25 just in, many employees of state tv have resigned out of guilt #egypt al ahram breaks censorship, joins revolution#freepress
@yelayat‎ Journalists have joined the revolution. Mubarak has lost state-owned Al Ahram #Egypt#Jan25
@nytimesworld‎ New twist in #Egypt messaging war:  state paper Al Ahram departs from usual practice, reports news embarrassing to govt Protest in Egypt Takes a Turn as Workers Go on Strike – NYTimes.com
@aymanfadel‎ I never would have believed that I’d read in #Egypt#Newspaper Al-Ahram this covers #Jan25 Newseum | Today’s Front Pages | Al-Ahram

While the square is still packed, there is heaviness in the atmosphere as the reality of those lost or missing in the struggle begins to hit home. Many begin to mention those killed by name in all forms of communication. The anger though remains fixed and palpable towards Mubarak. Even though the patience of those in the square is running out, their comradeship and sorrow grow.

@RiverDryFilm‎ I know I say it every day, but Tahrir remains astonishingly packed. #jan25#egypt
@wnawara @waelabbas I wonder how many people worldwide would tweet “I want Mubarak Down” Goal = 5 million #Jan25 RT
@tarekshalaby‎ Over the past days, I’ve come to seeTahrir Square as home, my little community. We recognise each other now, and visitors stand out #jan25
@pakinamamer I think Wael @Ghonim is the Harry Potter of our revolution! But I’m afraid if I start calling him ‘the chosen one,’ he’ll block me xD . #jan25
@Ghonim We are hoping that the “Friday of Martyrs” will be the world largest funeral to bid farewell to 300 Egyptians
@monasosh‎ Candles for the martyrs, tahrir Square

The secret police were loathed and feared. As protestors gained entrance and access to government buildings, the scope of their reign of terror is slowly revealed, like the tiniest tip of an iceberg beneath the surface.

@M_Nusair‎ four skeletons found in a secret tomb inside a security building in Damanhour! #Egypt#Jan25 YouTube
@sunnysingh_sw6‎ Explains why #Egypt army have been so closely guardingCairo museum! They are torturing people inside! Sick!! #Jan25
@thewa7sh‎ Several Egyptian companies distancing themselves from Mubarak families in newspaper ads. One by one they are all turning their backs. #jan25
@wikileaks‎ wikileaks: Hosni Mubarak told US not to topple Saddam Hussein
RT @wikileaks WikiLeaks: Mohamed ElBaradei was ‘too soft onTehran’

As the protest enters a 17th day, the whole world is watching on tenterhooks and very worried about where this is headed. Charges and counter charges fly and Mubarak and Suleiman remain publicly mum, prepared to still wait it all out.

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Denis G Campbell is author of the book Egypt Unsh@ckled: Using social media to @#:) the System. He is also editor-in-chief of UK Progressive Magazine and contributes politics and business articles for several global newspapers and magazines. He also provides regular commentary for BBC, China Radio International and others.
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