Egyptian military to protect protesters ahead of million-strong gathering
01 Feb 2011, 6:41 PM
The Egyptian army has signaled that it is willing to support the population’s right to protest and announced that it would not use force to put down legitimate demands for democratic reform.
Journalists present in Egypt have noted that the army has popular support from many protesters, unlike the police who have been accused of launching a violent crackdown on the demonstrators – Reuters has reported the deaths of at 138 people.
Hundreds and thousands of demonstrators have meanwhile packed the centre square of Cario and demanded an end to the 30 year regime of President Hosni Mubarak, a figure who’s autocratic excesses have been widely tolerated by Western powers in the interests of regional stability.
In a statement aired on state media, the Mena news agency, the military claimed that “The presence of the army in the streets is for your sake and to ensure your safety and wellbeing. The armed forces will not resort to use of force against our great people.”
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