Then and now: Cairo’s Tahrir Square
Once the epicenter of the revolt that brought an end to Hosni Mubarak’s rule of Egypt, Cairo’s Tahrir Square looks very different from the way it looked five years ago.
A national holiday that since 2009 commemorates Police Day in Egypt, Jan. 25 in 2011 marked the start of the nationwide uprising during which Mubarak’s mighty police succumbed to the anger of thousands of protesters, before the president was forced to cede power 21 days later.
On Monday, Tahrir Square hosted none of those who aspired to a democratic Egypt on the same day five years ago.
What was once the scene of defiance against police brutality and regime injustice became on Monday a place for police officers to surround a number of Egyptians who are willing to show their unconditional support for the state under Abdel Fattah Sisi’s rule.
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Tahrir Square
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