Police clashed with protesters in Cairo Jan. 24, eve of the the second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak. Demonstraors calling for the fall of President Mohamed Morsi tried to dismantle a concrete security barrier that blocked a street leading to Tahrir Square, focal point of protest movement that broke out on Jan. 25, 2010 and led to Mubarak's resignation 18 days later. The walls were erected last year to protect government buildings in the area. The National Salvation Front opposition bloc has called for rallies "in all the Tahrir Squares of the country." (Middle East Online [5], Jan. 24)
Morsi meanwhile delivered a speech at Cairo's Azhar Conference Hall celebrating Mulid Al-Nabi, the holiday marking the birth of Prophet Muhammad, during which he charged that "counter-revolution" forces are attempting to "undermine the state." Echiong similar sentiments voiced in recent days by Muslim Brotherhood leaders, he said: "The counter-revolution is being led by remnants of ousted president Hosni Mubarak’s regime to obstruct everything in the country." (Ahram Online [6], Jan. 24)
National Salvation Front spokesman Khaled Daoud protested the remarks, assertikng that no NSF member is a "remnant" (feloul [7]) of the former regime. He asserted that, for NSF members, the term "feloul" means "former members of [Mubarak's] now-defunct National Democratic Party who took part in the 2005 and 2010 elections, or anyone facing corruption charges.... Our members all agree on the revolution's demands for freedom and social justice. This is what unites the front." (Ahram Online [8], Jan. 21)
