The January 25 Revolution: lest we forget - Day 7: rumors
Monday, January 31st, 2011
The sit-ins and protests on the Good Land continue to grow and so does the will of protesters. In Tahrir Square and Alexandria, protesters call for million-man protests tomorrow. The square becomes much safer, and now that protesters are not worried about their lives, they start organizing themselves for tomorrow. There is a place for the tents, and a media area, and restrooms. All square entrances are secured by people's committees who check IDs and search whoever gets into the square. Then there are different routes for entering and exiting the square. As the Internet remains blocked, protesters rely on international media to relay their messages of encouragement and reassurance to attract more people to join the protests.
Mubarak is given until Friday to resign, after which there will be a million-man protest by the Presidential Palace. At home, which is pretty close to the Palace, Mubarak's residence and several military areas, we're locked in by tanks and barbered wire. There is only one street that can take us out, and once the curfew hours begin, this street too is closed...
Meanwhile, the government is calling for a dialogue with the opposition, yet what happens in the Palace remains in the Palace. Their strongest weapon, however, is rumors. Rumors about the intentions of protesters and who they're working for; stories are told of 6 of April Movement being financed by foreigners, and members taking a training on vandalism in Serbia. On State Television they bring a woman who says was a member of the Movement, and she tells how she found out that their intentions were far from what they're voicing. They bring a man who cries because he says he was deceived on January 28th and joined the protests and is now regretful. Then rumors about what people are doing in the Square; popular actors and otherwise speak of a sex festival, of gays and lesbians and group sex, and of someone giving out KFC meals to protesters. Rumors of the country being on the verge of breaking down, a civil war, or being occupied by Israel, or Iran, or anyone else who may be interested. Rumors of Mubarak supporters making a million man protest on Tuesday, which may lead to both protests being dragged into violence, causing thousand of deaths. And rumors of protesters moving out of Tahrir Square to the State Television Building or the Presidential Palace, which would be met by open fires from both the army and the neighborhood committees.
As for the army, they're sending SMSs, promising never to turn brutal on the protesters. But promises, for some, are made to be broken...
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