Tahrir square (Photo by Mai Shaheen)
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) said the political forces that have called for Friday’s mass protests must be responsible for organizing the anticipated demonstrations and maintaining order. The military rulers also warned against any possible attacks on military or governmental facilities on the day, saying such wrongdoing will be strictly dealt with.
Under the slogan “Correcting the Path,” the Revolutionary Youth Coalition (RYC) called for a mass rally in Tahrir Square this Friday, with many political forces seeming to respond. The immediate stoppage of military trials for civilians as well as a definitive timetable for handing over power to a civilian administration and to scrap election laws will seemingly be the main demands.
Having stated that security will be the responsibility of protesters, the police and military forces that have been deployed in Tahrir Square for weeks are widely expected to evacuate before Friday.
In its 74th communiqué, SCAF made four strongly-worded statements:
1-The right to peacefully protest to call for legitimate demands is available to all individuals of this great nation.
2-The political forces that have called for the protest on Friday, 9 September, take responsibility for organising the protests, providing security and maintaining order in all the demonstrations’ venues.
3-The calls that incite people to attack military facilities and the Ministry of Interior, which have been linked to a number of [political] forces, brings into question the patriotism of these forces, and it makes them bear a historic responsibility in front of the Egyptian people.
4-Any excesses against the armed forces, its facilities or other governmental facilities would be a national security threat that will be firmly dealt with and the culprits punished.
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