For 30 years Mubarak built up his influences of power throughout Egypt by implementing a police state, legalizing censorship, suspending sections of the Egyptian Constitution, rigging one election after another, and making back allie deals with corrupt political allies.
For 30 years the tensions rose. On Tuesday, January 28th, 2011, the powder keg blew.
Inspired by the actions of the Tunisian revolutionaries just two weeks before, many who have become upset with Egypt's economic and unemployment situation organized together for the purpose of telling their government to get their act together. So, on the 25th, organized largely through social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, a youth movement took to the streets of Cairo to demand reform in their nation. Nothing that the youth movement was asking for was out of the question. Fiscal responsibility from their officials, relaxed censorship laws, ending the culture of corruption in Cairo, and getting a handle on the out of control police forces whom the Egyptian's refer to as thugs.
In response, swarms of riot police swarmed the streets to cut the youth movement off. Gas canisters, electric prods, bats, water hoses, rubber bullets, and live rounds were used against the youth. The internet was severed to keep from any further organization. Foreign journalists were harassed, beaten, and locked under house arrest in their hotels while their equipment was confiscated. Opposition members were rounded up and taken to secret holding locations. Free speech was met with an iron fisted over bearing response. Mubarak wanted the people to know that Egypt was not Tunisia. Apparently the people didn't get the memo.
Four days later came the day of rage. Thousands flooded the streets in opposition to the crackdown despite being outgunned by security forces. Police tanks were hijacked, firebombed, and pushed into the Nile. Police were over powered, beaten within an inch of the lives, and stripped of their equipment. Federal buildings were ransacked and burned including the headquarters of the National Democratic Party which was looted and torched. Walls of oppressive law enforcement officials were pushed back and stood their ground at their own risk. But even with their weapons and their security walls and their tanks the people gained ground. First they took the streets. Then they took the bridges. Then they took the city blocks. Then they began to take the city. What had started off as a peaceful youth movement for reform had turned into an all out people's revolution.
At first the government attempted to make it seem as though they had everything under control. But even after the military moved in, there was no denying that this rebellion wasn't going to end. Then the government tried to paint the revolutionaries as radicals from the Muslim Brotherhood. But no one was buying it. By night fall the uprising in Cairo had spread to other cities in Egypt. Things were about to change.
In the calm of the night, Mubarak addressed the people. He told them that he took responsibility for what was happening. That he was prepared to listen to the will of the people. But before he could stick his forked tongue back in his mouth he proclaimed that he would not relinquish power. Instead, he would fire everyone in his cabinet and replace them the next morning. The people responded by taking to the streets again and lighting up the night.
Great things are happening in Egypt. Things which most only get to see once in a life time if that. I stand with those Egyptian Revolutionaries. I hope you will do the same.
[All but one photo acquired from the HuffingtonPost]
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