Regions and cities in Egypt are witnessing a state of security alert ahead of a date for the demonstration called by businessman Mohamed Ali, while calls continue on social media platforms to go to the squares to express protest against President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the economic and political conditions in the country.
In an interview during the Midnight Bulletin on Al-Jazeera, Muhammad Ali said that there is unparalleled popular tension and anger in Egypt.
In his speech - from Barcelona, where he currently resides - he indicated that the Egyptian people have seen scenes of house demolitions in the recent period, and are not afraid to express their anger.
Mohamed Ali had been a contractor on projects for the Egyptian military before he left the country and broadcast a series of videos in which he charged corruption with Sisi and senior army commanders based on his tenure with them.
Ali called on Egyptians to demonstrate on the same day a year ago, and his call met a response in the squares of many cities in Egypt, but the authorities responded at the time by arresting thousands.
Social media platforms are now witnessing continuous calls to demonstrate through several hashtags, including "Between us and you on the day of the twentieth" and "Under our homes we go down," and hashtags supporting the president, including "Ammar Ya Masr with Sisi."
#Bina_Women_Day_20 pic.twitter.com/duRezOlR9L
- AhlamRhouma (@AhlamRhouma) September 19, 2020
Oh God, revolution,
God, freedom for the sake of the detainees,
God, if we do not deserve your victory .. they deserve your punishment and brutality .. Rightly minarets and houses were demolished by the
right of families who have been displaced,
O God, your victory that you promised 🤲🤲 # Under_Our homes_in # Between us_benkm_day_20
- ყ 🌹🌹ƙσσƙ_ kim (@ kooky07768119) September 19, 2020
Unfortunately, Egyptians abroad are not at the level of upheaval
at home and outrage, even their satellite channels do not express that anger, perhaps because of their weak potential, and this eruption and anger is a very important indicator. Those who are closest to the revolution and we have no choice but to pray and deliver their message to the world. We ask God to reconcile them with
you on the 20th
- Salah Bediwi (@Salah_Bediwy) September 18, 2020
Sources told Al-Jazeera on Friday evening that the security services carried out a campaign of arrests against people from the Arab al-Ma'mal area in Suez, after an anti-Sisi stand in the region.
The Anadolu news agency reported that the capital and the Egyptian governorates are witnessing intense security deployment in main squares in the country.