And the MB has mobilized its full force once again to Tahrir square , to “Protecting the revolution Friday” in order to show off its size in front of the country.

Buses from all over the country poured in to Tahrir square since last night. MB's members from youth , men and women or in better description full families headed to the square showing their affiliation to the MB with pride wearing its caps and holding its flag.

The numbers were huge , we are speaking about hundreds of thousands here without doubt. The buses were so many that they are parked at the NDP torched HQ to the museum , from Kasr Al Nil bridge to Novotel hotel on the other side and this gives you a hint if you know the place well. There was for instance that group of MB girls keeping from Fayoum chanting against Suleiman.

Most if not all  the parties and powers participated in the protest were Islamist starting with The Muslim brotherhood and its political arm Freedom and Justice Party , The Salafist Front, The Building and Development Party, Al Fadila Party , Al Amal Party and Al Nour Party “It was not shown”. The biggest participant from numbers of protesters and mobilization is by the Muslim brotherhood.  The MB members used to protect the square and have these checkpoints for both men and ladies.

Yet despite being an Islamist dominated protest , it was not like July 29th, 2011 Protest where most of these parties called for Islamic Sharia rule and constitution. This time it was one goal and one demand : To refuse the presidential candidacy of former regime remnants especially the candidacy of Omar Soliman. 

The protesters held banners against former regime remnants including Omar Soliman and Amr Moussa. Of course Soliman got the biggest share from banners and chants like "Like Soliman , you are the Americans’ agents” and “ Omar Soliman has lost his mind”.

There are the same old chants against military rule like "Down with military rule" and "Tantawy say to Anan,the revolution is at the square" yet it is new thing to hear them from the MB protesters in this way. The MB stage interestingly enough was chanting Sheikh Emam songs too.

There were three stages I spotted so far ,the most active stage was at Hardee's corner and it was set up by MB. The second one is set up by Hazem Abu Ismail campaign. The third was set up by Al Amal party and it was not active like the other two.

The MB stage blamed SCAF and regime remnants for the clashes that happened  through the year 2011 after February 11,2011 in a huge change.

Through all the time I have been there “from 11AM to 5PM” I noticed that the speakers at the MB stage were speaking about the national unity between political powers chanting over and over “One hand”

Despite the MB stage was careful to stay away from any partisan or political or sectarian chant other than chants against the Mubarak’s regime remnants , the Abu Ismail campaign used to have these chants calling for Islamic social justice or supporting Abu Ismail for presidency like “The people want Abu Ismail as a president”.

One of the speakers Mr. Osama Ezz El Arab who heads something called “ The revolutionary front to protect the revolution” announced at Abu Ismail stage that the “corrupted”constitutional declaration of March 2011 was toppled !! Strangely the crowed cheered for that where as most of that crowed voted that “corrupted” constitutional declaration !!!!!!!!! 

Ezz El Arab declared that Abu Ismail has joined as a lawyer in Khairat El Shater defense team considering his legal status in presidential elections.

If Hazem Abu Ismail got a stage in Tahrir square supporting his candidacy for presidency , Khairat El Shater got his supporters from MB who got these bags with names. Anyhow Abu Ismail was popular than El Shater in the square today , his campaign was already selling his T-shirts , posters and souvenirs. One of Abu Ismail’s campaigners told me that they invited the potential presidential candidate to attend the protest. Of course he did not attend because he got that jazz about his candidacy and his mother US citizenship debate.

After leaving the square I found interesting stuff took place there like for instance a group of Al Azhar sheikhs attacked Sheikh Ahmed El Tayib of Al Azhar and described him as the puppet of SCAF. The other big moment I missed when the famous Aboud El Zoomor of Al Gama’a Al Islamiya spoke from the stage praising Abu Ismail and attacking Omar Suleiman. It is not a big surprise considering the fact that Abu Ismail believes that Bin Laden is a hero.

Among those attended the protest and spoke to the public Sheikh Safwat Hegazy , MP Essam of Al Wasat Party and MP Mohamed El Beltagy of Freedom and Justice Party.

The Bearded officers group was there in the square holding banners calling for their right to have a beard while they are in the force. Of course one must ask if they did understand that this protest was about specific thing other than their cause.

Moving from the square to the rallies ,MPs from freedom and Justice party Led rallied from Giza as well Downtown Cairo to Tahrir square after Friday prayer against the Candidacy of the former Mubarak's remnants to presidency.   According to eye witnesses the rallies were huge and the organizers were keen to keep it free from partisan slogans or chants or demands of focusing only on chants like "Down with the regime".

The revolutionary youth are angry from the Muslim brotherhood specifically and thus they can’t trust them and support them in similar protests. Already some revolutionary activists feared that today’s protest was another political maneuver between the MB and SCAF.

Well it is indeed a maneuver and the MB is once again showing off its true size in front of SCAF and Egypt.

Some people believe that this protest with that its Islamist color that no can deny is actually a good campaign of its own for Omar Suleiman who uses the fear from radical Islamist take over in the country.

I look from the positive side and say that it is good to return back to the square even for certain goals , hopefully there will be more color in the square next Weekend insh Allah.

I am so tired but I am uploading photos and videos as fast as I could.

And here is Youssef Boutros Ghali running like a chicken when an Egyptian young man in London.

London : Youssef Ghali

The young man who spotted Ghali is an Egyptian doctor called Mohamed Abdel Ghanny , who lives and works there. Abdel Ghanny told Ghali that he is a fugitive thief.

Youssef Ghali is enjoying the fact that London does not extradite thieves like him. There is already an Interpol red warrant for this man who is enjoying shopping in London.

He was found guilty in absentia and sentenced to imprisonment for 30 years and fined 60 million Egyptian pounds for using the state’s assets in the NDP’s campaign as well using impounded cars for his personal use.

This is not the first time Egyptians remind this man with his ugly reality. Egyptians forced him to leave a lecture he was invited to as a speaker at London School of economics from couple of months ago.

This man is not less dangerous than the radical Islamists in London , he harmed millions of Egyptians deliberately with economic policies and corruption.

And here is the video report I made about last April 13th Protest in Tahrir square that was organized by Muslim brotherhood against the candidacy of former regime’s icons to presidential elections.

Please do not forget to have a look on the photo gallery for the photos I took on that day from the square.

First of all Happy Sham El Nassim.

I am sorry that I have not posted anything since early morning , I am trying to take a rest and enjoy a fine Sham El Nassim , I was planning to celebrate it by posting a photo gallery for Graffiti in the famous Mohamed Mahomoud street. Anyhow it is never too late. I am uploading them currently.

Anyhow as I am celebrating Sham El Nassim , I would like to introduce you to the official Spring song in Egypt by Farid Al Atresh : The Spring Song

Farid Al Atrash : The spring

The Spring song was composed initially by Farid Al Atresh so the legendary Um Kalthoum aka Thouma would sing yet Thouma rejected the song because actually Thouma feared the music of Farid would cover her voice in other words she did not want his music to have an Upper hand over her voice. The music of Farid can be recognized from its beauty and thus Thouma feared that people would admire the music more than her voice.

Those who love and familiar with the universe of Thouma , Abdel Wahab and Farid will know what I am saying about.

Anyhow Thouma rejected it and Farid decided to sing it , it was the best decision ever taken by both legends. He presented it in a musical sketch in his musical “Afrita Hanem” which was produced in 1949. The clip above is from the film and the lady dancing in it is the famous Samia Gamal.

Of course years later artistically Jealous Thouma wished that she would sing it.

Farid Al Atresh is not the most cheerful singer if we are going to speak about his voice which is somehow sad but his music is legendary.

That song was the nationalist anthem for the start of Spring in Egypt starting with the TV broadcast. Every Sham El Nassim the Egyptian TV used to have the Spring gala where all singers from around the Arab world came to sing in Cairo , Farid used to sing this song alive.

Farid El Atrash sings “The spring in 1970 Spring Gala”

Up till now no singer sang a song that celebrated Spring like Farid except Soad Hosni and her masterpiece, may Allah bless them both. 

I am sorry again for this late Spring post and  I hope you enjoy the Spring song which young Egyptian generations ignore its importance in our pop culture.

on Tuesday 17/4/2012 this is what Egyptians should follow in the news :

• The Port Said Stadium massacre trial “First session”
• The petitions of the excluded presidential candidates.
• The debate about the constituent assembly.
• The debate about having the constituent first or elections first “oh yes we are back to this point once again !!
• The fire has not been put off in Suez’s oil complex.
• Fuel shortage in Sinai
• On going protests and strikes in several factories.
• Military judiciary law amendments in the parliament

The Port Said stadium is adjourned to next 5th of May 2012. It is another spin off from our version of law and order !!

I read from couple of days this tweet from a foreign reporter in Egypt that after so many years of having no real political life , Egypt is trying to restore all that time in one month !!

Khamisn in Tahrir square "Kolena Khaled Said"

The Nile

The other bank of the Nile

Visibility is terrible .
Be careful while driving on the desert roads in Egypt.
The red sea ports authorities have already closed 4 ports in Suez because of the bad weather conditions. Cairo international airport announced emergency status as the lack of visibility will affect the landing and taking off.

The storm has reached to several governorates whether Cairo, Alexandria , Marsa Matrouh , Asuit and Suez as a start. I do not know what is the effect of this sandstorm on the fire of Suez oil complexes. The temperature is expected to be low by the end of the day.

Here is the photo gallery I promised from several weeks ago when our young artists took their brushes and went to the famous Mohamed Mahmoud street and turned in to a piece of art thanks to their beautiful murals and graffiti.

The graffiti commemorated the famous martyrs of the revolution and what followed it from clashes like in Mohamed Mohamed street and cabinet HQ and ending by the horrible Port Said stadium massacre.

Unfortunately someone removed the graffiti of late Sheikh Emad Effat and police general Mohamed Batran may Allah bless their soul.

The murals included beautiful images from the ancient Egyptian history as well expressive graffiti attacking Mubarak regime and SCAF. 

I hope you enjoy it.

And Tahrir square will witness a big protest which hopefully will unit all the political powers in Egypt whether Islamist or non Islamist after months of fighting each other politically whether directly or indirectly. This is considered the first Friday since September 2011 to include both Islamist and Non Islamist forces. Some people are really putting high hopes that this protest will close the gap between the different political parties and powers in the country.

Nearly 40 parties and powers declared their participation already in the big Tahrir Protest with so many names as usual. The Muslim brotherhood called it “The determination Friday” while Revolution Youth Coalition and Maserna called it “ No for constitution under the military rule”.

There will marches from all over Cairo and Giza that will head to Tahrir square. There will be at least 4 marches from Cairo and Giza that will meet at 3:30 PM and 4 PM CLT at Kasr Al Nil bridge.

Potential presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi will head a march from Dokki to Tahrir square while Potential presidential candidate Khaled Ali will pray at Mostafa Mahmoud mosque and head the march from there to Tahrir square. Speaking about presidential campaigns , Abdel Moneim Abu El Fotoh Campaign will participate in the protest while he will tour the Northern villages of Giza. Needless to say the MB will campaign for Mohamed Morsi in the square like El Shater last week.

The Non Islamist parties and movements that are going to participate in the protest include : Revolution Youth coalition , April 6th Youth “Ahmed Maher Front and Democratic Front” , Maserna Movement , El Adl Party , Egyptian Social Democratic Party , Socialist Popular alliance party 

The Islamist parties that are going to participate in the protest are : Freedom and Justice party ,Al Asala Party , The Salafist Front , Al Gama’a Al Islamiyya and Al Fadila party.

Now it is said that this is a unity Friday yet strangely nobody knows the true united goals of this Friday because it seems that everybody has its goals aside from ending the military rule.

The Revolution Youth Coalition , April 6th Youth movement , Masrena Movement , Abu El Fotoh campaign, El Tayar Misry Party and Al Wasat Party issued a list for their demands which I think most Egyptians will agree upon : Issuing Disfranchisement law  , ending the emergency law status and military trials for civilians , having a real constituent assembly that represent all Egyptians.

The Muslim brotherhood issued a statement on Wednesday about what they want from the protest and they were clear : They want to form the government , have presidential elections in time and they want people to elect their presidential candidate !!

The Salafist Front issued a strong statement criticizing SCAF for dividing the political powers in Egypt and stating that the former regime icons are trying to get control of the country. I am quite surprised of their statement.

Al Nour party’s position is unclear , they said that its members are free to do what they want. Without doubt its members and supporters will go to Tahrir square to support Abu Ismail and his boys.

Abu Ismail boys can say what they want , we all know that if the man was going to continue the race we would not have seen them in square like that.

There is a big fear that there will be another Islamist show off protest and that the MB sells the revolutionaries and liberal parties once again for their own goals and this is why you will find many activists and protesters individually are not encourage to go to the protest despite all the good talk about unity.

MP Mostafa El Naggar told me already that he will leave if he finds the protest turned in to Islamist show especially if Abu Ismail’s supporters take over the protest.

Another fear among non Islamist activists is the clashes or the overreaction and enthusiasm of Hazem Abu Ismail’s supporters who are mad on how he was excluded from the elections.

Despite Abu Ismail boys are not responsible for what happened in October bridge last night yet there are fears that they may escalate their protest especially after this post of TV host Abdel Rahman Ezz who supports Abu Ismail and included a plan to close October 6 bridge and besieging the Egyptian National TV.

It is worth to mention that April 20 protest was originally planned by non Islamist forces.

It is 12:12 AM currently and according to eye witnesses there are 6 stages , one of them is for the Muslim brotherhood , another is for Abu Ismail supporters who moved their sit in from the Presidential elections committee “PEC” in Heliopolis to Tahrir square. 6 Stages !! This is so much for unity !!

Already right now there are hundreds of protesters in Tahrir square whom some of them are actually chanting anti-MB slogans from now. “Sell, sell the revolution Badie” They say and Badie as in Mohamed Badie , the Supreme guide of Muslim brotherhood.

Of course one must wonder why SCAF has not got a stage there already.

Insh Allah I will be covering the protest live after few hours.

The square.

There are hundreds of thousands already in the square according to my estimation before the Friday prayer. The MB members came with their full families again. Despite the hopes that there will be one flag today , there are lots of Islamist flags whether black and white. The MB and freedom and justice party banners are not hides

There are anti-SCAF chants and anti-felol chants as well. there are banners against the candidacy of Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafik as well SCAF

The ministry of health sent many ambulances Just in case. street vendors are having their best time selling cold beverages and hot meals starting with beans and ended with liver !! The Abu Ismail stuff from caps, t-shirts

There are 8 stages I spotted so far :

1. The MB which is the biggest at KFC
2. The April 6 youth stage "I think Democratic front"
3. Two for Salafists including one for Hazem Abu Ismail campaign "both actually are mad about him"
4. Two unknown stages which I will check from
5. The justice and freedom youth stage "unrelated to MB"
6. The youth of taxation authority.

It is extremely hot. It is midday and already got four flyers , one from taxation authority youth about the corruption within the authority , one from the officers with a beard guys ,one from the central audit organization and the last one is from Hazem Abu Ismail boys regarding his case.

Wait for more updates.