Activists in Egypt have called two separate demonstrations for Friday, one against the interim military rulers in charge since the country’s February revolution and one to support them. The calls came after this week’s peaceful and mostly orderly election, the first phase of multi-stage polls designed to bring in civilian rule in the country ruled for 30 years by dictator Hosni Mubarak.
“We call on all Egyptians to take part on December 2 at Tahrir Square,” the anti-regime Popular Committee for the Defence of the Egyptian Revolution said on its Facebook page, referring to the square in Cairo where the uprising against Mubarak began. Forty-two people were killed and more than 3,000 injured in violent protests around Tahrir last week which were called to demand the resignation of the leader of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.
The pro-regime Union for the Silent Majority group also called for a protest on Friday in a square near Tahrir, stressing the anti-regime movement was “not the only source of legitimacy.”
The two demonstrations reflect split opinions among Egyptians, some of whom are concerned the army leaders are determined to stay in power, while others are fed up with the instability caused by the recent unrest.
