Tahrir square a day before elections (photo by Mai Shaheen)
In response to the call for a million man protest against the new government of Kamal El-Ganzouri, a few thousand people gathered in Tahrir Square on Sunday afternoon to join the thousands already occupying the square and nearby Cabinet street.
Although numbers were relatively low by 4pm, the time set for the demonstration to start, an hour later the numbers started increasing to fill the square again. Street vendors were again spread all over the square to cater for the increasing number of protestors.
Many tents were still occupying several areas of the square sheltering those staging a sit-in demanding an end to military rule. However, fewer Salafists could be seen in comparison to previous days after Salafist presidential hopeful Hazem Abu Ismail urged all those in Tahrir the day before to leave the square to go and vote. On the other hand, many were handing out flyers encouraging people to boycott the elections they condemn as illegitimate.
The street where the Cabinet building is located was also full of protestors chanting slogans against the newly appointed prime minister. Demonstrators there also occupied the street in tents supposedly to forbid the new PM from entering the building.
Shortly after the numbers began increasing heavy rain forced many to quickly empty the square again. Still, thousands continued with the sit-in in the square despite the uninviting weather. Plastic covers were quickly placed over the square’s central island, sidewalks and the Cabinet street.
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