Egyptians are back at the epi-centre of the Egyptian revolution, in Tahrir Square, in downtown Cairo, where they are protesting sweeping powers their newly elected president Mohamed Mursi has granted himself. They include a rushed draft constitution announced today (Nov 30, 2012), penned by an Islamist-led assembly, which has new Islamic references to Egypt's system of government as well as clauses which infringe on women's rights and freedom of speech.
Protestors rushed to the streets eight days ago when Mursi neutralised the judiciary, declaring that courts will not be allowed to challenge his decisions. This has angered Egyptians, who have turned out en masse at Tahrir Square to protest what they call Egypt's new pharaoh and his Muslim Brotherhood organisation, which they say is grabbing too much power.
Blogger Lilian Wagdy was at Tahrir today and shares the following photographs on her flickr [1] account.
Many are calling Morsi Egypt's new pharaoh, drawing comparisons between him and dictators such as Mussolini and Hitler. A common name being used for him among netizens is Mursolini – which clubs his name and that of Mussolini.
Wagdy shares this photograph from today's protest, where a protestor is dressed as a pharaoh:
[2]Mursolini – drawing comparisons between Mursi, Hitler and Mussolini. Photograph by Lilian Wagdy, used under (CC BY 2.0)
The banner the protestors are carrying reads [ar]:
No to an absolute ruler. Mursi's renaissance is just like Hitler's renaissance. Absolute power is absolute corruption
Others are calling for an end to ignorance:
[3]A man carries a poster which reads: Freedom starts where ignorance ends. Photograph by Lilian Wagdy, used under (CC BY 2.0)
And others denounced the growing powers of the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Mursi was a leading member:
[4]A protestor carrying a poster which reads: Down with the Muslim Brotherhood invasion. Long lives a free and independent Egypt. Photograph by Lilian Wagdy, used under (CC BY 2.0)
The martyrs of the Egyptian revolution were also present in spirit at today's protests. Wagdy shares those photographs:
[5]Protestors raising banners with pictures of martyrs on them. Photograph by Lilian Wagdy, used under (CC BY 2.0)
[6]A mural in Tahrir featuring some of the Egyptian revolution's martyrs. Photograph by Lilian Wagdy, used under (CC BY 2.0)
We end this series with this iconic photograph of the Tahrir sit-in as night falls:
[7]Night falls at Tahrir as protestors continue their sit-in. Photograph by Lilian Wagdy, used under (CC BY 2.0)