Cairo: Thousands of protesters have returned to downtown Cairo’s Tahrir Square for what they called a “second revolution”, calling for Egypt’s military rulers to speed up the pace of democratic reforms in a country that is still charting its political future.
Protesters streamed into Tahrir Square – the symbolic heart of protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak on February 11 – carrying banners reading “Egyptian revolution is not over”.
Youth groups that had helped to launch the uprising against Mubarak have dubbed Friday “the second day of anger”.
In a Facebook call, the Coalition of the Revolution Youth, which consists of several movements behind the Egyptian uprising, urged protesters to rally for “an end to political corruption.”
A large banner hung over the flag-waving crowd, demanding a new constitution “now and not later”.
But Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s best organised opposition movement, said on Thursday it was “very concerned” by Friday’s protest.
The group, that decided not to participate in the demonstrations, said the revolution had achieved many of its goals, including not only the ouster of Mubarak, but also his referral to trial along with his sons and associates.
The call to protest can therefore “only mean that the anger is directed at the people themselves or at the army,” said the group, urging protesters not to divide the people and the military.
The Muslim Brotherhood had given several reasons why they did not believe this was an appropriate time for them to participate, even though they did support the right of public protests and peaceful demonstration.
“The Brotherhood disagrees with the protesters’ demands that the constitution be rewritten prior to the elections,” media reports said.
“While some of the protesters are calling for a civilian council to be sitting alongside the military council currently ruling the country, the Brotherhood disagrees with this.”
“They say there is already a national referendum that was held several weeks ago in which an overwhelming majority of people agreed to having a constitution amended by an incoming parliament that would be elected in September. They don’t want to see that overruled by the military leadership of this country.”
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