- Title: EGYPT: Protesters attend Friday prayers in Cairo’s Tahrir Square
- Date: 28th January 2012
- Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (JANUARY 27, 2012) (REUTERS) WIDE OF TAHRIR SQUARE MUSLIM PREACHER GIVES A SERMON ON A STAGE PROTESTERS LISTENING TO THE FRIDAY SERMON PROTESTER HOLDING A SIGN READING: "it was a very sad day when my son and my daughter were shot dead by the bullets of the tyrants" ANTI-ARMY BANNERS AND POSTERS PROTESTERS SHOUTING; "Allahu Akbar or Allah is the greatest" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IMAM OF OMAR MAKRAM MOSQUE, SAYING: "We demanded the resignation of the regime, but after a year passed on the revolution, I'm asking; did the regime actually resign?" VARIOUS OF THE FRIDAY PRAYERS PROTESTERS SHOUTING AGAINST THE ARMY PROTESTERS SHOUTING; "the people demand the execution of the Marshal"
- Embargoed: 12th February 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Egypt, Egypt
- City:
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAA121OGZPZRTQY4RR1V0I5ZSZU
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Islamist Muslim Brotherhood supporters and other activists gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday (January 27) in their tens of thousands for the so-called 'Day of Wrath' to demand that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) hands over power to civilians.
Families of those killed by armed forces joined in the massive protest shortly before the Friday prayers.
Sheikh Mazhar Shahin, the Imam of Omar Makram Mosque located in Tahrir Square, held a sermon for thousands of protesters.
"We demanded the resignation of the regime, but after a year passed on the revolution, I'm asking; did the regime actually resign?" Shahin said in his sermon.
"The revolution is continuous, we need a swifter purge of media and political trials for those who killed the protesters. I'm supporting you," he added The protesters, enraged by SCAF rule, raised banners reading "Thanks you for the poor leadership of the country, hand over the power immediately" and chanted "Down … down with army rule."
The Muslim Brotherhood, banned under oused former president Hosni Mubarak for thirty years, obtained up to 46 percent of the parliamentary seats during the first Egypt's multi-stage free election in six decades.
Islamists now look set to wield major influence over the shape of a new constitution after the remarkable domination of the assembly's seats.
The military has promised to relinquish power after a presidential poll in June but some protesters, who complain that the army has used the same heavy-handed tactics against opponents as Mubarak did, want the transfer of power speeded up. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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