Erian: Muslim Brotherhood Did Participate in Demonstrations on January 25, 2011

Erian: Muslim Brotherhood Did Participate in Demonstrations on January 25, 2011

Documenting the history of the Muslim Brotherhood in the January 25 Revolution, and refuting accusations some leveled at the group days before the anniversary of the revolution, alleging that the Brotherhood did not participate, Dr. Essam El-Erian, Vice-Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said that the Egyptian news website ‘Al-Youm Al-Sabea’ on Wednesday, January 23, 2011 quoted some statements Erian made originally to the US newspaper ‘New York Times’ and some made directly to the news website about the Brotherhood’s participation in the January 25 Revolution, all of which refute those allegations outright.


On his Facebook page, Erian pointed that Shaaban Hediya, an ‘Al-Youm Al-Sabea’ journalist, wrote just before the revolution an article under the headline "Brotherhood sets three conditions for joining January 25 demonstrations" and read as follows:

"The Muslim Brotherhood announced participation in January 25 demonstrations on two levels, and set three controls for young demonstrators. The group affirmed its respect for the police as a national institution, and warned against vandalism and riots. The group further affirmed that it did not call for people to gather at any particular location, while stressing that it did not ban young people from participating in protests and demonstrations."

Al-Youm Al-Sabea Article went on: "Dr. Essam El-Erian assured that the Brotherhood will join the protests called by some grass-root organizations through two levels of participation. The first: members of the group representing it in the National Assembly for Change and the People’s Parliament. The second: youth in the provinces across Egypt.

"Moreover, the Brotherhood set three controls: no defaming of institutions, establishments or bodies, no vandalizing of public or private property, and Brotherhood youth must understand and meet the ten conditions made by the group for any action. The Brotherhood was responding to calls by various groups and movements for these protest marches via Facebook and other websites.

Erian said, "After a meeting of the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau – in the afternoon of January 26, 2011 – the Muslim Brotherhood issued a statement; and after reviewing the detailed report on the January 25 events, it urged all the people to turn out and converge on public ‘liberation’ squares on ‘the Friday of Anger’ on January 28".