20 mock coffins bearing the names of those martyrs who died in the recent clashes are in front of the Maglis Al-Sha'ab. Carrying mock-coffins during demonstrations is not uncommon.
Translation: "Egypt's rights= Martyr's rights"
While Midan Tahrir remains occupied and closed to vehicles, many of the activists have moved to the street in front of the Maglis Al Sha'ab. The street itself isn't a major street and has been closed off by the Central Security Forces many times this fall, but it's occupation nevertheless represents a traffic disruption.
The mood in front of the Maglis Al Sha'ab is different from that in Midan Tahrir-- there are no food vendors in front of the Maglis and no one is selling 25 January t-shirts. The mood is somber and serious, this is not a place to bring a date for popcorn or play a pick-up game of football (as Tahrir has become for some). There is a sense of urgency and attentiveness in the air as activists hand-out flyers detailing their movement's latest demands or George Ishak, who founded the protest movement Kefaya in 2004, speaks to a gathering of people. My friend and I stopped by to listen as an activist started playing a oud (an Egyptian lute). Others began singing and suddenly the circle drew larger; the soft melody bathed the scene in a rosy glow not penetrable by the glares of the army. As the lead office sat down to drink his chai, he appeared calm and I could have sworn I saw one of the younger officer's singing along.
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