Channels

Celebrations in Cairo

Crowds celebrate across Cairo after army statement

Men, women and children wave Egyptian flags, set off fireworks in Tahrir Square in celebration of Morsi ouster: 'We deposed one dictator and now we've ousted a second one. We'll do it again if necessary'

Jubilant crowds across Cairo cheered, chanted pro-army slogans and set off fireworks after the military suspended the constitution and overthrew President Mohamed Morsi on Wednesday.

 

Men, women and children waved red-white-and-black Egyptian flags as confetti twirled in the air, protesters stood on each other's shoulders and families snapped pictures in Tahrir Square, the center of demonstrations that drew millions out against Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood.

 

Related stories:

 

"The people and the army are one hand," they chanted.

 

Over two years ago, Tahrir saw similar celebrations after an uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak, paving the way for Morsi to become Egypt's first freely elected president.

  

רויטרס

סגורסגור

שליחה לחבר

 הקלידו את הקוד המוצג
תמונה חדשה

שלח
הסרטון נשלח לחברך

סגורסגור

הטמעת הסרטון באתר שלך

 קוד להטמעה:

Tahrir Square celebrations (Video: Reuters)

 

But Morsi's popularity slid in the year since he took office. His liberal and leftist opponents accused him of spurning compromise and failing to deal with the country's urgent economic and political problems.

 

"We ousted one dictator and now we've ousted a second one. We'll do it again if necessary, we are experienced now," said Adal El-Bendary, a 45-year-old public relations employee, sitting at a cafe near Tahrir.

 


(צילום: רויטרס)

Photo: Reuters

 

"This will be in the minds of the army or any politician in the future - they will not want to face the same destiny as Morsi or Mubarak."

 

Haisam Haggag, an engineer, said Morsi's fall was "a victory for the people."

 

"This is not a coup," he said. "Look at the people on the streets. The people said this is a revolution."

 

Protesters unfurled large flags and danced in circles and blew horns when word of the army's statement reached Tahrir.

 


(צילום: רויטרס)

Photo: Reuters

 

"Egyptians are telling the world, 'We are not afraid of anyone'," Hassan Amar, 22, said, his small daughter sitting on his shoulders. "We defeated Morsi, thank God."

 

Graffiti and posters around the city supported this sentiment. One poster near Tahrir read: "This is the end of Brotherhood colonization".

 

Another read: "Day 22 of the revolution," implying the protests that started on Sunday were an extension of the 18 days of demonstrations it took to push out Mubarak.

 

"He didn't have the charisma of a head of state. He didn't believe in our citizens. He didn't work for the people," said Amani, a 43-year-old woman with her husband and daughter in Tahrir.

 

Nearby, boys climbed on lamp posts and people leaned from windows and balconies. Fireworks vendors did brisk business. People carried around stuffed toy sheep and posters of Morsi depicting him as the farm animal.

 

One uniformed police officer waved his hands above his head as honking cars drove by. "Great Egypt is victorious," he said. "Egypt is victorious over the Brotherhood."

 

Muhammad Majdi Hanfi, editor of Israel affairs at the opposition newspaper Al-Dostour told Ynet: "We won. I'm not afraid of what's to come. I'm very optimistic. The announcement was a natural consequence and we were all hoping it would happen. We celebrate today with the great people of Egypt. The revolution is back on track. This is a day of celebration.

  

Mahmoud Badr, founder of the Tamarud protest movement which was behind the campaign to oust Morsi, said the revolution must persist across the nation. "We urge the people to stand firm in the squares and secure the achievements of the revolution. Your will has prevailed," Badr said, adding "We reach out to everyone. We want to rebuild Egypt with the help of everyone and for everyone."

 

Imam Higazi, a student from the Giza Governorate near Cairo, told Ynet: "This feels so good. Everyone is thrilled about al-Sisi's statements." Higazi, who stayed home, said she wanted to go to the protests, but her father was apprehensive and stopped her from going.

  

When asked whether she was afraid that the revolution might turn violent, she said, "we still don’t know what the Muslim Brotherhood's response will be, but I hope to be in the square tomorrow, Inshallah.

  

 

  • Receive Ynetnews updates directly to your desktop 

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.04.13, 00:27
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment