Cairo, Egypt

February 1st-11th 2011

A massive popular protest began in Egypt on 25th January 2011.

The street demonstrations start a week after the Tunisian Revolution, and are focused on legal and political issues related to the contested Mubarak government: police brutality, state of emergency laws, lack of free elections and free speech, corruption, rate of unemplyment, food price inflation…

Cairo city becomes the center of the protests, the government imposes a curfew and obscures the internet connections. In a few days the riot erupts in violent clashes that leave thousands of injured people and more then 300 deads.

After 2 weeks of violent demonstrations, battles, clashes, Tahrir square (that means literally ‘Freedom Square’) is still the core of the protest, the population keeps on squatting the place, waiting for the announcement of Mubarak’s resignations.

On the 10th of February, the ruling party officials suggest Egypt’s president Hosni Mubarak may meet protesters demand and step down.

During the night Mubarak takes a speech on TV: he declares to a shocked audience that he won’t resign.

(see also Cairo Unrest II chapter for the latest events).