The revolution is still moving forward. The army’s press statement this evening that they respect the peoples’ right to protest and that they will not open fire on peaceful protesters is an unmistakable message that it is safe to demonstrate in huge numbers tomorrow.
The message was given directly to the crew of the military helicopter that repeatedly buzzed Tahrir Square today when protesters spelt out in giant letters on the ground ‘Tomorrow in our millions’.
Today the crowds in the Square were greater than yesterday and just as determined in a carnival kind of way. The Square is now a permanent fair.
Different groups gather crowds around them and make speeches or sing songs, often the ones from Egypt’s Nasserite revolution. Occasionally a ‘demo’ of a 1,000 or so will move through the crowd with its own slogans and chants.
People come to meet, socialise and be seen. Families walked around with the toddlers carrying anti Mubarak posters like the one I saw this evening based on a famous play title, ‘The lesson is over, stupid’.
But the movement is also beginning to change. Mahalla, home of the famous militant textile plant were there today and many thousands more intend to make it Cairo tomorrow. And not just from Mahalla.
The state is closing the national rail network so that people cannot get to Cairo tomorrow. Activists are arguing with train drivers to run the trains anyway.
But whatever, there will be demonstrations. Alexandria saw half a million on the street after a funeral of one of those killed in an earlier demonstration.
Dina Samak, Al Jezeera’s correspondent, has just returned from Suez which she confirms is in a state of insurrection.
Popular power has replaced state power. Activists are campaigning for the Suez Canal workers to close navigation on the world’s most important shipping lifeline.
Tomorrow the left are encouraging factories where the bosses have fled to demonstrate under their own banner and to begin to run the firms themselves.
And the left are planning to issue a joint platform to challenge the ‘El Baradi for President’ bandwagon.
Tuesday, seven days after the first demonstration, will be a decisive day in the Egyptian revolution.
John Rees
John Rees is a writer, broadcaster and activist, and is one of the organisers of the People’s Assembly. His books include ‘The Algebra of Revolution’, ‘Imperialism and Resistance’, ‘Timelines, A Political History of the Modern World’, ‘The People Demand, A Short History of the Arab Revolutions’ (with Joseph Daher), ‘A People’s History of London’ (with Lindsey German) and The Leveller Revolution. He is co-founder of the Stop the War Coalition.