Egypt: Army Won’t Fire on Civilians
February 1st, 2011Via: CNN:
Egypt braced for a “march of millions” in anti-government protests Tuesday as embattled President Hosni Mubarak tried to throw up literal and figurative roadblocks in the way of demonstrators calling for his ouster.
Major demonstrations are planned for Cairo, Alexandria and other cities, the latest in a series of rallies that began a week ago. Protesters have defied orders for a curfew, and the country’s powerful military announced Monday that it would not open fire on peaceful demonstrators.
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Egypt’s military announced Monday evening that it recognized “the legitimate demands of the honest citizens” and would not open fire on peaceful protesters.
“The presence of the armed forces in the Egyptian streets is for your benefit to protect your safety and peace,” an unnamed spokesman announced on state television Monday night. “Your armed forces will not use violence against this great people, who have always played a significant role in every moment of Egypt’s great history.”
And human rights activist and blogger Ramy Raoof told CNN’s “Parker Spitzer” that troops are mingling with demonstrators in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
“There is no aggressive behavior from the army toward the peaceful assemblies,” he said early Tuesday. “We hope that within a few hours, the same also will happen. We hope the army will not escalate violence against us.”
