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27 September 2019The Egyptian people are protesting against the government of President Abdelfettah Al Sisi, head of the North African country since 2014, asking for his resignation. Just that Al Sisi that five years ago in the elections was seen as "savior of the homeland" and won with over 90% of the votes. Also in 2018 it was reconfirmed by Egyptian citizens.

However, the population has returned to the streets since 2013, the year in which there were great protests against President Mohamed Morsi who was deposed by a coup d'état carried out by the Tamàrruds, a rebel movement with wide popular participation. But why in so many squares in Egypt, from Tahrir square to Cairo, passing through Suez to Alexandria, is this happening?

The protest born on social media
Mohamed Ali, a 45-year-old businessman and actor, began publishing videos on YouTube against the Al Sisi regime in Spain at the beginning of September, arguing that the Egyptian army is wasting public money on unnecessary investments and that the government is spending a lot of money on to restructure the presidential buildings. But the word that most uses is corruption.



Ali's videos soon became viral. But for the moment the protests that started on September 21st were very small, also due to the harsh punishments foreseen for anyone expressing dissent in Egypt. According to the Egyptian NGO Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, over 1,900 people have been arrested in Egypt in the last week: activists, professors and university students who shouted "the people want the fall of the regime", ending up in handcuffs. The authorities have also seized smartphones.

Already the victory in the referendum of April 2019, which modified some parts of the Egyptian Constitution (more powers over the judiciary and judicial supervision) and gave full powers to itself with a long presidency at least until 2030, had given discouragement and disappointment to the Egyptian people. Over a third of the population (32 million) lives below the poverty line.

"Publication of false news to provoke violence in collaboration with the Muslim Brotherhood", the prosecutor for national security replied. Ali, leader of this possible new Arab Spring, said via social media, according to the Spanish newspaper El País: " My neck now depends on the Spanish Government, "fearing for life. Meanwhile, for today new protests are expected and Al-Sisi, returning from New York after the UN General Assembly, said:" There are forces of evil trying to target you. No one can deceive the Egyptians ".