This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
A defiant Mubarak addressed the people of Egypt tonight, saying he will continue to remain president until presidential elections in September, but would delegate presidential responsibilities to newly appointed vice-president Omar Sulieman.
Protesters at Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, who numbered around 3 million, broke in chants calling for the overthrow of Mubarak, while the speech was going.
As soon as the speech was over, the chants rose, against both Mubarak and Sulieman, clearly showing that the crowds rejected the speech. Among the chants was: “We're off to the palace (presidential), we're going as millions of martyrs.”
Here's a round up of some of the reactions from Twitter, as soon as Mubarak ended his speech:
@tololy: Mubarak delegats presidential responsibilities to VP Omar Suleiman #Egypt #Jan25
@algergawi: Fact that the old man said he's staying till “September” at this speech is proof he put the S in stubborn. #Jan25
@Elizrael: Tomorrow's protests are going to be HUGE. #Jan25
@Sandmonkey: People are leaving in big groups chanting “tomorrow tomorrow” #jan25
@JustAmira: Protesters call for army intervention and a march to the presidential palace http://yfrog.com/h6t8zfj
@RobaAssi: I cant even IMAGINE how people in #tahrir are feeling. I'm seething with rage all the way in sleepy #amman. #mubarakisanasshole
@ahmednaguib: I hope he is ready for the millions marching towards his palace. #Jan25 I know I will be among them.
@MaLek: هو يمشي – LIVE at http://bambuser.com/v/1404062
@tarawnah: Oh. My. God. Sound of protesters chanting now overtaking sound of #mubarak speech. Can hardly hear him. #jan25 #egypt
@SultanAlQassemi: Protesters in Meydan Tahrir are shouting IMSHI IMSHI IMSHI (Leave leave leave)
@asadabukhalil: This speech will go down in history as the dumbest speech ever delivered by a dictator.
@Egyptocracy: #Mubarak referred to himself in the 3rd person again. He did that already in his last speech. #Egypt #Jan25 #Tahrir
@hazemzohny: Expect utter governmental collapse. The army and NDP Sec. General just said good news coming. This speech is the opposite #Jan25 #Egypt
@fasi_zaka: Mubarak to stay interning in Egypt. Starts Grad school in September. #Hosni #mubarak #jan25 #egypt
@twilight2000: State TV suddenly NOT showing the crowds in #Tahrir – no surprise – only AJE is showing them now. ~AJE #jan25
Millions will be marching across Egypt tomorrow, Friday, and estimates say crowds will swell to more than 20 million.
This post is part of our special coverage of Egypt Protests 2011.
2 comments
Mubarak didn’t get the point at all: http://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/mubarak-doesnt-get-the-point/ I could not make any sense of this speech, except that Mr Mubarak was maybe trying to pave the way to being declared unfit for office on grounds of mental incapability.