Anti-Sisi protests break out in Egypt

By Gulsen Topcu

ISTANBUL – Hundreds of Egyptians staged protests Friday in Cairo and other cities against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The activists gathered in several locations, including Tahrir Square in the capital, and chanted anti-government slogans.

Various social media platforms and anti-regime channels broadcasting from abroad shared videos of the demonstrations.

They also reported that some of the protesters were arrested.

The #Tahrir Square hashtag, under which users posted anti-Sisi tweets, became a trending topic on Twitter shortly after the protests began.

Meanwhile, local media reported that the son of former Parliament Speaker Saad al-Katatni, who is currently imprisoned, was arrested.

Following 18 days of unabated protests, Hosni Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for three decades, was eventually forced to step down and relinquish power to the Egyptian military.

Mohamed Morsi became the first democratically elected head of state in Egyptian history by winning the first post-revolution presidential election in 2012.

In 2013, Morsi said the Egyptian uprising that broke out on Jan. 25, 2011 “achieved -- and will continue to achieve -- its goals.”

However, he went on to warn the public of covert attempts to "steal" the uprising and subvert its goals.

On June 30, 2013, tens of thousands of people -- egged on by the media -- took part in anti-Morsi demonstrations, while Morsi’s followers hit the streets in support of the embattled president.

Three days later, the army ousted and imprisoned Morsi in a coup led by then-Defense Minister Sisi. The following year, Sisi was elected president.

Following Morsi’s ouster, the authorities launched a relentless crackdown on political dissent, killing or imprisoning thousands of Morsi’s supporters and members of his now-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Dozens of youth were also given the death penalty for "politically-motivated" charges and violence took place after the coup.

Morsi died in June while standing trial for similar politically motivated charges.

Eight years on, however, protesters’ demands for “bread, freedom and social justice” have gone largely unmet, according to critics of Egypt’s current regime.