BBC:
Egypt uprising: Islamists lead Tahrir Square rally
Jon Leyne at the protest: "It seems the Islamists and the military rulers have a shared interest in maintaining the old order"
Tens of thousands of people have packed Cairo's Tahrir Square, after the first call by Islamist leaders for nationwide demonstrations since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in February.
Many protesters - dominated by Muslim Brotherhood supporters - are calling for an Islamic state and Sharia law.
Correspondents say the rallies will be a worrying development for secularists.
The Brotherhood is the most organised political force in Egypt, although it was not prominent in the revolution.
Tensions have been running high between Egypt's Islamist and secular groups, who are at odds over the transition to democracy in the Arab world's most populated country.
Turning point?
Liberal groups first want guarantees of a constitution that will protect religious freedom and personal rights, whereas Islamists want speedy elections and a recognition of Islam - in one form or another - in the new Egyptian state.
Now, the Islamists want their voice to be heard and are showing their muscle for the first time since Mr Mubarak stepped down on 11 February, says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo.
Although the Muslim Brotherhood can turn out huge crowds by rallying its supporters at mosques, it does not necessarily represent the majority of Egyptians and is predicted to win around 20% of the vote in an election, our correspondent says.
There was little sign of any secular groups at Friday's rally, he says, adding that it will be interesting to see how they re-group after today's events.
Since early July, the mainly secular protesters had camped out in Tahrir Square - the epicentre of protests that toppled Mr Mubarak - to denounce the ruling military council over the slow pace of reform.
Islamist groups had for the most part stayed away from the sit-in. Last week, they held their own demonstration and accused the Tahrir protesters of going against the country's "Islamic identity", the AFP news agency reports.
But with Islamists and the more conservative Salafist groups now filling Tahrir Square, it could mark a turning point in Egypt's post-revolution period, our correspondent says.
video at the link
3 comments:
The Egyptians are in panic on Twitter!
They are watching their "Revolution" being snatched by the Islamists and turned into a "DEMOCRAPOLA" !!!
Classic Jihadist Takiyya move !
Look :-
- Who's fault is it that we seem to have only discovered Salafi's after the revolution! #Egypt. Work the streets people, its a long road ahead.
- Not optimistic about tomorrow's march in #Egypt. While some genuinely seek unity, others are spreading divisive leaflets.
- Its very ironic #Egypt ians protest for the resignation of SCAF, and the commanders of the Turkish army resigns.
I told you so !
(Reuters) - More than 30 political parties and movements withdrew from a rally on Friday that was organized to send a united message to the ruling army about reform, saying the event was hijacked by Islamist groups.
"Islamic law above the constitution," read banners in Cairo's Tahrir Square that was packed with tens of thousands of people. Protesters who fear Islamists will seek to dominate plans to rewrite the constitution demanded they be taken down.
"Islamic, Islamic, we don't want secular," they chanted in the square filled with many followers of the strict Salafist interpretation of Islam.
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In the Sinai Peninsula, where many people own weapons, about 150 people rallied in the town of Al-Arish. Some had banners with Islamic slogans. They fired shots in the air. Security sources said one youth and a policeman were wounded.
Read more here :-
http://goo.gl/sPjTx
ALL ONE THING.
What the peoples of these lands all want could not have been more obvious after the 2005 withdrawal and then elections in Gaza.
Western elitist ideas of what the different 'national' groups which MAY OR MAY NOT differentiate the lands from Morocco to the Chinese border and past this to the Pacific archipelagos want - not withstanding - the one thing they all want is MORE ISLAM AS DEFINED BY THE MB TYPES in daily life and in the law, and govt.
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