Yesterday, genuine protesters were around 8 million across Egypt. Numbers estimate 1.5 million in Alexandria and 2 million in Cairo. They were completely peaceful, and the mood was described as "festive" and "celebratory" by many news outlets.
Then Mubarak made his second speech, which offers no concession beyond saying that he will not run for re-election. The protesters rejected this weak response.
Many people got an SMS mobile text message about a mass rally in support of Mubarak in Mohandeseen. Others got a message offering 70 LE to go to rallies. My mother told me that when pro-Mubarak protesters were asked why they are going on the street, they said "each one of us got 200 LE". News about workers in the TV/Radio as well as petroleum companies were to go on the streets and protest in favor of Mubarak.
My brother was note able to send SMS though. So it is one way: from the regime to the people!
The internet is back in Egypt. But info-warfare is going on. State TV continues a propaganda war of brainwashing, shoring up support for Mubarak. Facebook is full of groups and messages in support of Mubarak. No wonder they allowed the internet to be restored.
On Facebook, there is a battle raging on. Suddenly, there are many pro-Mubarak posts saying that "the youth have been heard", "give the government time", "have the decency to respect your president", "he should be allowed to complete his term", "he should be allowed to leave in dignity", ...etc. That seems really why the internet was allowed back in Egypt.
Today, the army is telling protesters to go home, rather than saying they have legitimate demands as they have done before.
Overnight, Mubarak deployed thugs and rent-a-mob (paid 70 to 200 LE each, or ordered by superiors to go out and chant for Mubarak). Some were on horses and camels even and attacked the protesters. They are now clashing in Tahrir and elsewhere in front of the Museum of Antiquities.
Molotov cocktails have been thrown from roof tops when pro-Mubarak thugs were chased to the roof. They seem to have attacked apartments, since they were throwing objects from the roof. There are reports of molotov missiles hitting the Museum of Antiquites.
AlJazeera showed a protester holding up a police ID captured from those thug who attacked them.
Comments
Julian Egelstaff (not verified)
We are all Egyptians now
Wed, 2011/02/02 - 15:36I often tell my kids, nothing worth doing is easy. Looks like that's especially true for the long suffering people of Egypt now. I've blogged about this on my own site: We are all Egyptians now.
--Julian