Protesters furious at Mubarak's refusal to go (News Feature)

By Gregor Mayer Feb 10, 2011, 22:27 GMT

Cairo - Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak had a look of steely determination as he gripped the lectern to address the nation on Thursday.

He chose words that were meant to reach out to the hearts of his people, but his voice was tough.

The president said it was 'a speech from the father to his sons and daughters.'

He referred to those who had been killed in the violence triggered by his supporters, saying 'the blood of the martyrs and injured will not go in vain.'

In passing, Mubarak mentioned that he was relinquishing some of his powers to his deputy, Omar Suleiman, but said that he would still carry the flag as president until the next elections in September.

He repeated his pledge made nine days earlier that he would not seek re-election.

The 18-minute speech was preceded by great expectations, fueled by liberal members of Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NDP).

Hossan Badrawi, the general secretary of the NDP, told a television interviewer he hoped Mubarak would transfer power.

There was a puzzling statement from the army council, saying it would 'support the legitimate demands of the people.'

There was no mention of protecting the constitution. Mubarak referred to the constitution to justify his formally remaining head of state.

Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered in Cairo's central Tahrir Square to hear the president speak. It was quiet when he finished.

Then a storm of rage erupted, fists were raised and some people brandished their shoes, a sign of insult in the Muslim world.

'Get lost,' the protesters shouted, complaining that Mubarak had usurped the rhetoric of the protesters for his agenda of continuity.

'We won't allow him to steal our revolution,' said one protester.

'He spoke of the blood of the martyrs, that was cynical and provocative,' said Ahmed Sami, an engineer camped out for days with a hard core of protesters in Tahrir Square.

'It was his people who killed our young ones,' he said.

'Tomorrow we're going to the presidential place and to all other public buildings in the country. We have to force him to leave office.'

The pro-democracy protesters had experienced a roller-coaster ride of emotions over the past 17 days. First they had to overcome the brutality of the feared riot police to take control of Tahrir Square.

On January 28, the security forces used live ammunition on the demonstrators, leaving an estimated 300 dead across the country. Then looters and convicts began roaming the streets.

The authorities had deliberately opened prison gates and allowed the inmates to flee - a move they hoped would cause intimidation and chaos, generating fear among the population that the protests would lead to anarchy and make the government indispensable.

But on February 1, hundreds of thousands of people streamed back onto the streets, in larger numbers than ever before.

When the protests failed to abate, the government struck back. Thugs hired by the NDP rode into Tahrir Square on camels and horses and attacked the peaceful protesters with stones, knives and even guns.

The battle raged throughout the night, but the government supporters were unable to dislodge the protesters. At least 13 people died and hundreds were injured.

It appeared that the violence had knocked the fight out of the activists, but the opposite was true - it only served to weld them together and strengthen their resolve.

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