Why demonstrations in egypt

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Take Action. Join Us. Give Now. Click to expand Image. Immediately, I drove the short distance to Tahrir Square in the centre of the city and could not believe my eyes.

It was an extraordinary sight: young men and women from all walks of life crowding into the heart of the capital and chanting the same thing: "The people want the fall of the regime". They were not from opposition parties or the Muslim Brotherhood, which was then Egypt's most organised Islamist group. Most were regular Egyptians who were bravely taking part in anti-government protests for the first time.

During my life, I had known only Mubarak and his security apparatus. The shouts that I was hearing for democracy and freedom must have seemed to many like an unachievable dream. And yet, the momentum only grew. By Friday, declared a "day of rage", protests had spread across the country.

In total, I was to spend 18 days covering the popular uprising in Cairo and the coastal city of Alexandria. I knew I was witnessing some historic moment.

Behind the ups and downs - of dangerous clashes and defiance - for the first time in many people's lives a sense of change was in the air. Each day brought incredible scenes: desperate young men staying put day and night - even daring to sleep on the metal tracks of army tanks - and others distributing free blankets and food to demonstrators, neatly repainting the kerbs and collecting rubbish. In my interviews with protesters, it was clear they were determined, ready to sacrifice their lives for change.

When, finally, on 11 February, Mubarak stepped down, there was an outburst of joy and euphoria. Tunisian town stages general strike amid protests. Anti-vaccine mass protests hit parliament street in New Zealand. US, Egypt hold strategic dialogue in Washington. We use cookies in a limited and restricted manner for specific purposes.