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Mahmud Hams / AFP - Getty Images
Protesters in Tahrir Square hold up an obelisk with the names of those killed during last year's uprising.
Updated at 9:55 a.m. ET: Reuters reports tens of thousands of people massed in Cairo's Tahrir Square to mark the anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak from power in Egypt, saying some witness estimates put the crowd at 150,000 or more.
One group of mostly youths stood near a street where protesters clashed in November and December with police and the army, chanting "Down with military rule" and "Revolution until victory, revolution in all of Egypt's streets."
Supporters of the once banned Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists also formed groups to celebrate. "I'm very happy with the anniversary of January 25. We never dreamed of this. The revolution's victory was reaped with the elected parliament," says Khaled Mohamed, 41, a member of the Brotherhood whose Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) secured the biggest bloc in parliament after the first free vote in decades.
Andre Pain / EPA
Protesters carried a giant Syrian national flag next to Egyptian ones as they are gathered to celebrate the uprising.
Updated at 4:45 a.m. ET: NBC News correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin posts a picture of people gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square in a message on Twitter, saying there is "incredible showing of people already" amid "scenes reminiscent' of Jan. 25 last year, when the uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak began.
Updated 3 a.m. ET:Tens of thousands are now expected at the protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square later this morning, the BBC is reporting. It says authorities have built huge concrete barricades around Tahrir Square in order to control the crowds.
Website Ahram Online has posted a map showing the main paths expected to be taken by demonstrators as they converge on the center of the city.
Thousands of Egyptians gather in Cairo to mark the beginning of the revolt that led to the ousting of former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
Published 5 p.m. ET:CAIRO-- Egyptians head to Tahrir Square on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak with some seeking a new revolt against army rule and others celebrating the changes already achieved.
It is a year since protesters inspired by an uprising in Tunisia took to the streets in Egypt and the January 25 anniversary has exposed divisions in the Arab world's most populous country over the pace of democratic change.
Concerned the generals are obstructing reform to protect their interests, the pro-democracy activists behind the "January 25 revolution" plan marches to Tahrir Square to demand the military council that replaced Mubarak hand power to civilians immediately.
But well-organized Islamist parties which dominated Egypt's most democratic election since army officers overthrew the king in 1952 are among those who oppose a new uprising.
Mohamed Omar / EPA
An Egyptian protester holds a banner on the morning of the first anniversary of the uprising in Tahrir square, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 25. Demonstrators gathered in the square to mark the anniversary.
Signs of friction were on show as hundreds of people began to congregate in Tahrir Square late on Tuesday, pitching tents in winter rain and hanging the national flag from buildings.
"The military council is Mubarak," said Amr al-Zamlout, a 31-year-old protester clutching a sign declaring "there is no change" and stating his aim was to topple the army rulers.
Mohamed Othman, an accountant, stopped to put forward a different view based on the idea that Egypt needs stability for economic recovery, not more protests.
"The council will leave power in any case. Sure the revolution is incomplete but it doesn't mean we should obstruct life," he said. His criticism quickly drew a crowd and touched off an argument.
Grocery stores were unusually busy as shoppers stocked up, reflecting concern at the prospect of a repeat of last year when protests went on for 18 days before Mubarak was forced to step down on February 11.
Protests against the military council turned violent in November and December.
White House praise
The United States, a close ally of Egypt under Mubarak, praised "several historic milestones in its transition to democracy" this week, including the convening of parliament.
"While many challenges remain, Egypt has come a long way in the past year, and we hope that all Egyptians will commemorate this anniversary with the spirit of peace and unity that prevailed last January," a White House statement said.
Headed by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the military council has said it will cede power to an elected president by the end of June, thus completing a democratic transition.
Yet pro-democracy activists doubt their intentions, pointing to a surge in military trials and the use of violence against protesters as signs of autocratic ways familiar from the Mubarak era.
Tantawi, for two decades Mubarak's defense minister, again defended the military from such accusations during a televised speech on Tuesday. "The nation and the armed forces had one aim: for Egypt to become a democratic state," he said.
In an apparent attempt to appease reformist demands, the military council has in recent days pardoned some 2,000 people convicted in military courts since Mubarak was toppled. On Tuesday it announced a partial lifting of a state of emergency.
But it kept a clause saying emergency laws in place since 1981 would still apply in cases of "thuggery," a vague term that triggered calls for clarification from Washington and more criticism from human rights groups.
The activist movement, a coalition of groups united in calls for deeper and faster reform, have been fighting back in the run-up to the anniversary against what they describe as state efforts to present them as foreign-backed trouble makers.
The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group which won nearly half the seats in the parliament, said last week he was against calls for a new revolt against the military.
"I hope we will go down together to be joyful at what we have accomplished, to guard our Egypt and to complete the demands of the revolution," Mohamed Badie said in an interview with Egypt's Dream TV.
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Reuters contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
not much about the 500 Egyptian protesters who attack a NUKE plant last week, stealing redioactive material. All praise Allah the Retarded.
You nailed him for sure !
There should be better instructions in the Koran for dealing with other religions and running a country. Maybe they could do like the Christians and put out a revised version.
In other news, Turkey intercepted a shipment of Iranian Missiles and CHEMICAL WEAPONS trying to get into Syria. Marked leather goods. And Russia just completed a deal to send 30 military jets to ASSAD. Russia the only voice in the U N backing Syria. I wonder if the chemical weapons could be used dispersed with the new jets. All Praise Allah the King of PEDOPHILES.
Get a No-Fly Zone ready
Hey, Leroy..not enough killing of Muslims between the massacres of iraq and Afghanistan?? why dont you you just mind your own @!$%#ing business and let the middle east alone..not enough invasions, massacres and resources theift by the yanks??
Still waiting, for the magical "Arab Democracy"!
Well, let's see. They are now celebrating the one-year anniversary of the overthrow of a despot. And there are only about 24,873 despots still to go. By my careful calculations, that means we should see Arab Democracy about the same time we see chickens screw ducks.
A pathetic country, with a serious case of "what to do?" They will devolve into more killings and more misery. Islam, such a nice peaceful religion. They will never become a real country until they get their boots off females throats. But, that within the Muslim religion will never happen.
u wish it will never happen.. but we will make it happen, and don't forget that your country was supporting dectators everywhere ..shame on you!
Rehab, I would love for you to prove me wrong. Please do. But when you put half the value on women as you do men, you will never reach your full potential as a nation, and the Islamic history speaks for itself.
America has supported dictators, and I am against that. But, remember my friend who supported the Afghans against the Soviet Union, it was us my friend. You have allowed those dictators to exist in your world forever, from the Saudis to Assad. You are what you do, and how you live, and you are your own worst enemies.
To defile the name of anyone's religious deities or God is inherently ignorant & unfounded ... this story is about the Anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution not the desecration of someones religious affiliations ...
wait until a bigger mob comes out to protest against what the original mob wanted
The United States, a close ally of Egypt under Mubarak, praised "several historic milestones in its transition to democracy"
I wonder if our government will praise the people of the United States when we finally get tired of their lies and their pandering to the corporations and finally force upon them a transistion to democracy.
Come on Egypt, Throw off the repressive, unelected leadership in your nation.
Install instead a Repressive, Murderous, Fanatical religious theocracy. Repress women and scorn education, This is your chance...
No country is the middle east will be ready for freedom until they deal with their religious problems, cultist tendencies and there imaginary little friend allah...
Scorn education?? you are malinformed, and blinded by hatred. Yea, the people of the middle east will not be ready for democarcy as long as the outocme is not to your liking.
Just leave them ALONE.
No, its called a rally.
A year later and still not happy. You can't please anyone these days, people will still protest no matter what is done, you can't change human nature.
Wow it's been a full year since that already? where did 2011 go?
The Tahrir Square demonstrations seem to continue until the military or the Muslim Brotherhood clamps down.The two are waiting to see who will do it first and blamed for it.
Keeping an eye on what is going on in the world in prudent. Taking care of our country is imperative.
If a country does not want us there, we should leave, an pull all of our funding! Saudi A, Bahrain, Iraq, all of the "Stans"... we leave take our toys and go home! Watch them, but leave them to their own demise.
What would the troops do at home? Train, repair roads & infrastructure, develop better communication networks, patrol boarders...
There are so many ways to prevent the "Fall of the New Roman Empire" US!! Remember " No large countries demise cames from outside influence it cames from within!"
So they killed each other to elect a democratic government, then they vote for the muslim brothers, next they will kill the muslim brothers and then they will vote for Mubarak and then......welcome to the muslim world...Animals..
Egyptians are quickly going from bad to worse... I still cannot forget when a mob of those shown stripped american woman reporter off her clothing and hand raped her for about 20 minutes... Pathetic.... They were better off with Mubarak regime. Now their economy in shambles and radical islamic doctrine is taken over... Also, how quickly they forgot of horrors of war with regard to Israel. Egypt is in down spiral to the abyss of hatred and destruction....
Be careful what you wish for. How's the NEW situation working out for you? In this country, we here have an inflated sense of our own moral superiority. We believe that just because democracy works for us (sort of) it is the panacea for everyone, everywhere. The actuality is that it won't work everywhere. Sometimes centuries old tribal conflicts will always intervene, and need a stronger hand to keep them in check. In Egypt (or any of a half dozen other countries of "Arab Spring") the populace is disenchanted with what has developed. But the fact is, there is nobody left to adequately conduct the business of modern government. Just wait until the Muslim Brotherhood assumes control. Welcome to the Middle Ages.
Be careful what you wish for.
Muslim terrorists have taken charge in Egypt. Obama and his Democrats could not be happier.
Nope, the people of Egypt ELECTED the BEST people who would look for their and their countrys interest. No more puppets and foreign agents.
The terrorists are those who invade countries and terrorize its people with jet-bombers and rape and then urinate on corpses.
You are not manking any sense. Its like saying the Egyptian people are not happy with their choice. They voted freely for their representatives FIR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 50S. Its YOU who is not happy with the outcome of the elections. The Egyptian people are not happy with the military rule.
How about no m$re foreign aid either$$$$
Is anyone going to collapse your comment? Making fun of Allah (SWT)? I wonder what your going to say when your questioned about that in your later life...I hope I see you in that later life...and no I dont wanna hear your troll comments. Just know that you will be questioned about it.
Your religious fear tactics don't work here Muslim Brotherhood member. Face the facts man, you can wash and pray 10 times a day - God does not play favourites. Most of your religious customs are considered criminal acts in civilized countries.
Who else but a criminal calls another person a fear tactician you hypocrite
how come in the U.S. we can not get 150k to march in downtown N.Y.C. for a peaceful protest? scared the gestapo police wil come out in full force and shoot someone!
Because most people have lives.
The United States, a close ally of Egypt under Mubarak, praised "several historic milestones in its transition to democracy". The hypocrite praises egypt and yet has supported their iron fisted leader for years, that is amazing that no one ever points out the crap that america's leaders ever do. For years America supports countries that it can get benefits from, for years america's kills countless lives for minerals, money and oil. Its also the FIRST country to ever FIRE A NUKE. Its also the country that lies to its people daily, and has other countries do its dirty work (mexicans and asians fabricating their cars, clothes, merchandise). It also loves to brand other people as criminals and yet never anyone brands america anything. Does anyone want to even acknowledge that this is possibly true? I know you trolls will be finger itchy to comment back something negative so go ahead. If you dont believe what I am saying about america being an opportunist look at the haitians. Why did america abandon them? They said they would help and yet they hardly did a thing. Look at africa, they are only 200 billion dollars in debt. America spent 700 BILLION dollars in iraq just to claim oil ( and supposedly defeat the terrorist group who were a guerilla army of fighters that the U.S couldnt fight). No one even admits that is the reason we went to Iraq or afghanistan was because of money interests.
I can't believe how many of you are reading articles about Muslims and still bashing them. You either care or don't care. Pick a side. Get a life.... This is not your revolution and your countries. When we all have clean history then we can bash as many nations as we want and make judgement but ops none of us have clean history so "GET A LIFE".
I think I'll call my mother.. She's in Egypt.. Luckily not in Cairo though..
party on
but leave the oher relegines alone
Andrea Teti: Egypt One Year On