Hundreds of Egyptians gather to protest emergency law
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Xinhua, September 17, 2011
Hundreds of Egyptians gathered in Tahrir Square in central Cairo Friday to protest the activation of the country's emergency law.
Five people have been hospitalized after being injured in the scramble or falling unconscious during the demonstration, according to the official news agency MENA.
Their health conditions were stable and there were 33 ambulances available near the square during the protest.
The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) declared the activation of the emergency law after protesters stormed the Israeli embassy in Cairo last Friday.
The protesters chanted slogans such as "Say no for the emergency law, no for the military trials for civilians, and no for militarization of the state."
Salafists formed the largest group among the protesters as they consider the SCAF's decision meant suppression of the citizens' freedom.
However, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood announced Wednesday to boycott the demonstrations.
"Egypt now is undergoing a very serious period, so it needs more stability and the Egyptians need to be united," said Mohamed el-Katatny, secretary general of the FJP, in a statement.
The major youth group, "April Sixth" movement, was also absent from the demonstration. They said the calls for the demonstrations "came late," so they didn't prepare for it.
On the other hand, a wave of anger swept many Egyptian citizens in the streets, as they see these kinds of gatherings, which always end up with conflicts, as obstacles to their normal life.
"We are fed up with such callings for rally. We want to focus on work and normal life, not on such protests usually leading to chaos. What happened last Friday is an alarm for protest gatherings," Abo Fares, an Arabic teacher, told Xinhua.
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