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| Tahrir Square celebrates coup, but Morsi's camp warns of clashes to come | Tahrir Square celebrates coup, but Morsi's camp warns of clashes to come |
| (3 months later) | |
| It dawned on Tahrir Square softly at first, just as the military chief had wanted. First came the lapsed deadline, then a pregnant silence. | It dawned on Tahrir Square softly at first, just as the military chief had wanted. First came the lapsed deadline, then a pregnant silence. |
| It took the gathering until dark to reveal a clear reality; the military coup against president Mohamed Morsi, foreshadowed all week, had crept up on everybody. Egypt's first democratically elected president had lost his fight to keep any semblance of the office he has held for 12 fraught months. | It took the gathering until dark to reveal a clear reality; the military coup against president Mohamed Morsi, foreshadowed all week, had crept up on everybody. Egypt's first democratically elected president had lost his fight to keep any semblance of the office he has held for 12 fraught months. |
| The country's most powerful institution, like it or not, was now at centre stage. And large numbers of Egyptians, who after the fall of the dictator Hosni Mubarak saw the military as a roadblock to democracy, were casting it as its champion. | The country's most powerful institution, like it or not, was now at centre stage. And large numbers of Egyptians, who after the fall of the dictator Hosni Mubarak saw the military as a roadblock to democracy, were casting it as its champion. |
| On a momentous day in post-revolutionary Egypt, the latest fight for the country's destiny had earlier become a staring contest; Morsi and his supporters holed up on one side of town and those who wanted him gone surging and dancing around the now familiar stomping ground of dissent near the Nile. | On a momentous day in post-revolutionary Egypt, the latest fight for the country's destiny had earlier become a staring contest; Morsi and his supporters holed up on one side of town and those who wanted him gone surging and dancing around the now familiar stomping ground of dissent near the Nile. |
| Then, with the clock slipping steadily past the 4.30pm deadline that the military gave two days ago to solve the crisis, Morsi appeared to blink. A short post on his Facebook page just before 5pm said he was working on ways to share power and would prepare for parliamentary elections within months. | Then, with the clock slipping steadily past the 4.30pm deadline that the military gave two days ago to solve the crisis, Morsi appeared to blink. A short post on his Facebook page just before 5pm said he was working on ways to share power and would prepare for parliamentary elections within months. |
| Word spread slowly at first, the inevitable whispers turning the snippet on social media first to a resignation, arrest by the military, then back to ambiguity. No one in Tahrir Square seemed to know quite what to make of it. | Word spread slowly at first, the inevitable whispers turning the snippet on social media first to a resignation, arrest by the military, then back to ambiguity. No one in Tahrir Square seemed to know quite what to make of it. |
| "It's very good – we have won," said Shaymah Gemal, 21, a student from Cairo University. "He can't continue as leader after this." Fireworks cracked on a hazy sky and thousands of Egyptian flags were waved with more vigour than usual as Morsi's statement circulated. A military helicopter circled overhead in an apparent show of support for the electrified throng below. | "It's very good – we have won," said Shaymah Gemal, 21, a student from Cairo University. "He can't continue as leader after this." Fireworks cracked on a hazy sky and thousands of Egyptian flags were waved with more vigour than usual as Morsi's statement circulated. A military helicopter circled overhead in an apparent show of support for the electrified throng below. |
| Even amid the euphoria though, some in the crowd remained sceptical. "He has been calling for weeks for this," said another anti-Morsi demonstrator, Issam Ahmed. "This doesn't actually say anything new." | Even amid the euphoria though, some in the crowd remained sceptical. "He has been calling for weeks for this," said another anti-Morsi demonstrator, Issam Ahmed. "This doesn't actually say anything new." |
| Indeed, Morsi's concessions had been among his key talking points for the past few weeks. A willingness to compromise featured briefly in his defiant late night address to the nation on Tuesday and featured in meetings with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces chief, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, earlier in the day. | Indeed, Morsi's concessions had been among his key talking points for the past few weeks. A willingness to compromise featured briefly in his defiant late night address to the nation on Tuesday and featured in meetings with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces chief, Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, earlier in the day. |
| The timing of what Morsi said on Wednesday afternoon appeared to be far more pertinent than the substance. So too was a statement an hour later, also on Facebook, by his key adviser, Essam Haddad, who said: "For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let's call what is happening by its real name: military coup." | The timing of what Morsi said on Wednesday afternoon appeared to be far more pertinent than the substance. So too was a statement an hour later, also on Facebook, by his key adviser, Essam Haddad, who said: "For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let's call what is happening by its real name: military coup." |
| Haddad's words seemed more an assessment of the past four heady days, than a reaction to anything new on Wednesday. But for some they were seen as a warning of trouble ahead. Haddad added: "In this day and age no military coup can succeed in the face of sizeable popular force without considerable bloodshed. Who among you is ready to shoulder that blame? | Haddad's words seemed more an assessment of the past four heady days, than a reaction to anything new on Wednesday. But for some they were seen as a warning of trouble ahead. Haddad added: "In this day and age no military coup can succeed in the face of sizeable popular force without considerable bloodshed. Who among you is ready to shoulder that blame? |
| "There are still people in Egypt who believe in their right to make a democratic choice. Hundreds of thousands of them have gathered in support of democracy and the presidency. And they will not leave in the face of this attack. | "There are still people in Egypt who believe in their right to make a democratic choice. Hundreds of thousands of them have gathered in support of democracy and the presidency. And they will not leave in the face of this attack. |
| "To move them, there will have to be violence. It will either come from the army, the police, or the hired mercenaries. Either way there will be considerable bloodshed. And the message will resonate throughout the Muslim world loud and clear: democracy is not for Muslims." | "To move them, there will have to be violence. It will either come from the army, the police, or the hired mercenaries. Either way there will be considerable bloodshed. And the message will resonate throughout the Muslim world loud and clear: democracy is not for Muslims." |
| Across town, not far from where Morsi and his inner court are believed to be bunkered down, a sizable but subdued rally of the president's supporters stood near the Rabaa mosque. There was no celebration here, but there was confusion. | Across town, not far from where Morsi and his inner court are believed to be bunkered down, a sizable but subdued rally of the president's supporters stood near the Rabaa mosque. There was no celebration here, but there was confusion. |
| As night drew near, the military, which had readied itself for the past three days in a giant car park in nearby Nasr City, edged ever close to Rabaa. Barricades were erected near Morsi's presidential palace and in parts of eastern Cairo. This was no storming of town squares and state institutions though. The scale and presence of the forces deployed spoke of a reluctant creep. | As night drew near, the military, which had readied itself for the past three days in a giant car park in nearby Nasr City, edged ever close to Rabaa. Barricades were erected near Morsi's presidential palace and in parts of eastern Cairo. This was no storming of town squares and state institutions though. The scale and presence of the forces deployed spoke of a reluctant creep. |
| As news of the military movements trickled through, senior Muslim Brothers and Islamic clerics voiced their outrage. | As news of the military movements trickled through, senior Muslim Brothers and Islamic clerics voiced their outrage. |
| "I'm very afraid," said Mohamed Abdel Rahman, a sheikh at Cairo's al-Azhar mosque, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning, whose calm demeanour belied the urgency of his words. "Any Egyptian, any nationalist, should be worried about our country's future. Killing the democratic process means that any successor will share the same fate." | "I'm very afraid," said Mohamed Abdel Rahman, a sheikh at Cairo's al-Azhar mosque, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning, whose calm demeanour belied the urgency of his words. "Any Egyptian, any nationalist, should be worried about our country's future. Killing the democratic process means that any successor will share the same fate." |
| Mohamed Marouf Mahomed, the chief imam of Minya, a rural city, was even more stark. "Egypt is entering a very dark tunnel," he said, standing motionless backstage at the rally. "It's going to be a civil war – and it's going to be very bad in particular for the church in upper Egypt, because everyone knows they have spearheaded this campaign against the Islamic project." | Mohamed Marouf Mahomed, the chief imam of Minya, a rural city, was even more stark. "Egypt is entering a very dark tunnel," he said, standing motionless backstage at the rally. "It's going to be a civil war – and it's going to be very bad in particular for the church in upper Egypt, because everyone knows they have spearheaded this campaign against the Islamic project." |
| Down in the crowd, the mood was charged. "We are the true revolutionary youth," chanted thousands, many carrying photographs of a grinning Morsi. | Down in the crowd, the mood was charged. "We are the true revolutionary youth," chanted thousands, many carrying photographs of a grinning Morsi. |
| Others were clad in a motley selection of hardhats, cycle helmets, homemade shields and martial arts vests – in case of attack. Some carried sticks and improvised clubs. "Seculars will never rule Egypt again," some shouted, carrying white funeral clothes that gave the impression they were willing to be martyred for their cause. | Others were clad in a motley selection of hardhats, cycle helmets, homemade shields and martial arts vests – in case of attack. Some carried sticks and improvised clubs. "Seculars will never rule Egypt again," some shouted, carrying white funeral clothes that gave the impression they were willing to be martyred for their cause. |
| A few seemed phlegmatic – not least an outspoken Brotherhood official, Essam el-Arian, smiling and greeting supporters as if he was at a victory rally. "We feel these days are another expression of the 25 January revolution," he said. Business as usual, in other words. | A few seemed phlegmatic – not least an outspoken Brotherhood official, Essam el-Arian, smiling and greeting supporters as if he was at a victory rally. "We feel these days are another expression of the 25 January revolution," he said. Business as usual, in other words. |
| But his colleagues did not share his calm. "There are millions who are determined to remain here until the military regime stops," said senior Muslim Brother, Mohamed Beltagy, as he left the rally. "We will have many martyrs." | But his colleagues did not share his calm. "There are millions who are determined to remain here until the military regime stops," said senior Muslim Brother, Mohamed Beltagy, as he left the rally. "We will have many martyrs." |
| When asked if he himself sought martyrdom, Beltagy said: "I'm willing to be a martyr for the democratic national project." And what about an Islamic one? "A national democratic project." | When asked if he himself sought martyrdom, Beltagy said: "I'm willing to be a martyr for the democratic national project." And what about an Islamic one? "A national democratic project." |
| On a day that appeared to clarify little and edge Egypt closer towards trouble rather than away from it, one key theme remained true: this is a nation that has learned the power of the street and its capacity to test authority. | On a day that appeared to clarify little and edge Egypt closer towards trouble rather than away from it, one key theme remained true: this is a nation that has learned the power of the street and its capacity to test authority. |
| Nightfall had brought arguably the biggest crowds yet to amass on the streets of Cairo since the January 2011 revolution that toppled Mubarak and paved the way for Morsi's difficult 12 months as a democratically elected leader. | Nightfall had brought arguably the biggest crowds yet to amass on the streets of Cairo since the January 2011 revolution that toppled Mubarak and paved the way for Morsi's difficult 12 months as a democratically elected leader. |
| "We've gotten used to it out here," said Suad Haddad as green lasers swirled around her. "This is a real democracy. The Brotherhood hijacked what the people gave them. Now we are taking it back." | "We've gotten used to it out here," said Suad Haddad as green lasers swirled around her. "This is a real democracy. The Brotherhood hijacked what the people gave them. Now we are taking it back." |
| Apart from his Facebook post, Morsi was neither seen nor heard throughout the day, grist for the mill for rumour-mongers who speculated he was under house arrest, or in exile. The reality, according to several of his key aides, is that the besieged leader is trying to find new ways to be heard. | Apart from his Facebook post, Morsi was neither seen nor heard throughout the day, grist for the mill for rumour-mongers who speculated he was under house arrest, or in exile. The reality, according to several of his key aides, is that the besieged leader is trying to find new ways to be heard. |
| "He is all for inclusiveness, he is all for power-sharing," one aide said. "National unity is the only way forward. But if they want to oust him, they need to do so at the ballot box." | "He is all for inclusiveness, he is all for power-sharing," one aide said. "National unity is the only way forward. But if they want to oust him, they need to do so at the ballot box." |
| Offering what almost amounted to a plea for mercy at the end of a bruising and still uncertain four days, Gehad al-Haddad, a Muslim Brotherhood spokesman said: "The current leadership of the Brotherhood was young [one year ago] – and they've learnt their lesson. They're not going to leave the streets. And we're not going to fight, we're just going to take a beating." | Offering what almost amounted to a plea for mercy at the end of a bruising and still uncertain four days, Gehad al-Haddad, a Muslim Brotherhood spokesman said: "The current leadership of the Brotherhood was young [one year ago] – and they've learnt their lesson. They're not going to leave the streets. And we're not going to fight, we're just going to take a beating." |
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