• EGYPT
  • August 30, 2013
  • 10 minutes read

Anti-Coup Alliance Hails ‘The People Reclaim The Revolution’ Friday Demonstrations

Anti-Coup Alliance Hails ‘The People Reclaim The Revolution’ Friday Demonstrations

Today, Friday – August 30, the honorable, patriotic people of Egypt regained the spirit of the January 25 (2011) Revolution. Millions of Egyptians turned out, after Friday noon prayer, in all 27 governorates, in response to popular calls for completion of the January 25 Revolution under the name "The People Reclaim The Revolution" million-man demonstrations to demand a full return to legitimacy and a just trial of all those who caused the shedding of the blood of martyrs and the injured.


Today, the free people of Egypt recorded a new revolutionary epic, proving to the whole world that they will not accept a return to ousted Mubarak’s regime, allow any force to break their will or accept going back to the injustice, corruption and oppression they suffered for long decades.


After the Friday noon prayers, mass rallies set off from most mosques in Cairo and the provinces to participate in the activities of "The people recover the Revolution", strongly affirming commitment to continue peaceful protests and demonstrations and to use all constitutional and legal means of resistance to challenge the coup until it is defeated completely.


In wanton defiance of all the feelings of Muslims, the putschists’ forces closed a number of major mosques in Cairo and the provinces in the face of worshipers, preventing them from performing Friday prayers at these mosques.


Closed mosques included Iman Mosque in Nasr City – east of Cairo, Fateh Mosque in central Cairo, and the Omar bin Abdul-Aziz Mosque in the Modireya Square in the city of Beni Suef – to the south of Egypt.


Security forces also laid siege to Iman Mosque in Banha, in Qaliubiya governorate, with worshipers still inside it.


Furthermore, Ministry of Interior thugs stormed Al-Nour Mosque in Banha, and viciously attacked worshipers with birdshots and stones.


In addition to closing mosques, laying siege to worshippers inside mosques, and preventing the Friday prayers from getting held, the putschists’ fear of large crowds of demonstrators made them also close main Metro (subway) stations near public squares, including Shohada, Sadat and Giza subway stations, for ‘security reasons’.


The early hours of today’s demonstrations witnessed unprecedented security measures violating the right to freedom of worship, movement and assembly, as the putschists’ authorities continued their repressive crackdown without justification, trampling all human rights recognized in the world.


The putschists’ military and police forces, backed by plain-clothed security officers, arrested dozens of peaceful protesters and fired live bullets, birdshots and gas bombs into the unarmed civilian crowds to disperse protesters in front of Istiqama Mosque in Giza Square.


Security forces committed the same atrocities in the governorates of Sharqiya, Beheira, Tanta, Port-Said and Banha, killing a number of citizens in Sharqiya and Port-Said and wounded dozens of peaceful protesters.


Meanwhile, the putschists’ media henchmen imposed a total blackout on the days’ events, allowing their ‘friendly’ satellite TV channels to wage a war of misinformation and blatant attempts to turn the facts upside down, to demonize demonstrators.


The coup’s subservient media persistently twisted facts, fabricated allegations, and focused their cameras on the outer edges of demonstrations to avoid showing the large crowds – in an attempt to give a false impression of small numbers of demonstrators.


The military’s paid media castrati showed live broadcasts from areas closed off by the putschists’ forces, to suggest that public squares and streets are completely empty of demonstrators.


The Anti-Coup, Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance affirms that all these desperate attempts and maneuvers no longer fool or discourage the Egyptian people. On the contrary, they will increase their determination and resolve to realize all their demands in their commitment to legitimacy, rejection of the coup, until they defeat it completely.


The Alliance will continue its marches, rallies and other non-violent activities and events against the brutal coup, calling on the masses of the Egyptian people to start a civil disobedience.


Today, Friday – August 30, in Cairo and Giza, millions came out from more than 50 mosques and rallied through the streets of the capital in Nasr City, Rehab, Helwan, Maadi, Zeitoun, Abboud – in Shoubra Masr, Dokki , Giza , Sixth of October City, Badrasheen, Warraq , Obour… Etc.


In Alexandria, people managed to break a siege by the putschists’ forces around Qaeed Ibrahim Mosque and marched through the streets and squares of the province in mass rallies.


In northern Sinai, five rallies started from rendezvous points outside mosques in the town of El-Arish, and gathered in Hurreyah Square. Thousands of people also came out in three more marches in the city of Beir Al-Abd, and rallied through the streets of the city.


In Damietta, people turned out in a number of mass marches through the province’s towns. They also came out in Dakahlia Governorate rallies, in Zeraeyeen district and near Mansoura University.


Other demonstrations descended on Salab neighborhood – again in Mansoura. And there were a number of rallies in all towns of the province.


Moreover, people turned out in the province of Beni Suef in 12 rallies in support of democracy and legitimacy, the largest of which started near the Ali ibn Abi-Talib Mosque. Other mass marches and demonstrations were held in Wassiti, Fashn, Nasser and other towns of the province.


Further, hundreds of thousands demonstrated in Beheira Governorate, as thousands more went out in many marches in all towns of the province.


In the province of Minya, rallies came out and marched through all towns, each with tens of thousands of peaceful protesters, in Odoua, Maghagha, Beni Mazar, Matay and Samalut towns as well as in Minya, Abu-Qurqas and Deirmwas cities.


Meanwhile, in the province of Fayoum, people came out in 5 major marches in the capital city Fayoum, in addition to several marches in all the province’s towns.


The provinces of Qaliubiya, Menoufia, Ismailia, and Port-Said, Kafr El-Sheikh, Qena, Aswan, Red Sea, Wadi Al-Gadid, Matrouh and others also witnessed non-violent protest events and rallies attended by millions of Egyptians opposed to the military coup.


God save Egypt and its people


The Anti-Coup, Pro-Legitimacy National Alliance


Cairo : August 30, 2013