Glory for the Rioters

Translation: "The glory for the rioters" (El Maged Ll Moshagbeen)

This graffiti was created today on the wall of the Mugamma.

This street art is a spoof of the famous Egyptian play (and subsequent film) "The School of the Rioters" (Madrasah Al-Moshagbeen). The play debuted after the 1973 war with a venerable cast- including Adel Imam, Ahmed Zeky, Saed Saleh, Hasan Mostfa and Soher El Bably.

In the play, the principle can't control his students despite his many attempts at disciplining them. The students tirelessly play jokes on their teachers, until the principal hires a new teacher who eventually reforms them by first becoming their friend and earning their trust and respect.

While street art is giving praise to the rioters, does the reference to the play allow that these rioters can eventually be tamed? If so, who is the teacher that will tame them?

Massive demonstrations took place today in Midan Tahrir and in several other cities across Egypt, calling for an end to military and a shift transition to civilian rule lead by a National Salvation Council. Rejecting SCAF's appointment of Kamel El-Ganzouri as the new Prime Minister, representatives of youth & revolutionary movements appointed Mohamed El-Baradei, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former head of the IAEA, as the head of the National Salvation Council. Will Baradei be able to tame the rioters?

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/27638/Egypt/Politics-/Breaking-Revolutionary-movements-name-Baradei-prim.aspx

Here is a clip of the play (without English subtitles), featuring the actor Adel Imam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3svc9TY9q8

the Shahada

Translation: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger" (la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulu illah).

This stencil of the Shahada is now very common in Midan Tahrir.

After someone dies, a Muslim says "We are for Allah and we are returning to him" (inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon). When in a state of disbelief or shock, a Muslim may instinctively say the Shahada- "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger" (la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulu illah). The Shahada is the Muslim testimony of belief.

Throughout the past week, I have heard shouts of "Allahu Akbar" in Midan Tahrir. I have seen men stop chanting against military rule in order to pray. I have watched as ambulances drive the injured from the site of the clashes to the large field hospital in Omar Makram Mosque on the other side of the Midan while men and women hold hands to make sure there is a clear path. I pushed my way through a crowd with the help of a woman wearing the niqab. And I have heard people muttering "la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulu illah" when they see a bloody picture from Al Jazeera on their smart phone or learn than yet another person has died in the clashes.

Yes Islam is present in the Midan, but Islam is present in Egypt. This is not an Islamic Revolution, this is an Egyptian Revolution.

No to military rule

This is a very popular form of the stylized "لا" ("No" in Arabic), seen in many different shapes & sizes as parts of different street art throughout Cairo. This "لا" was used in the campaign against military trials.

I saw this particular incarnation of "لا" today on a wall of the Mugamma in Midan Tahrir. While I'm not sure who the artist is, I know it was painted today because I didn't see it yesterday as I passed by the Mugamma.

Translation: "No to Military Rule"

This English translation was next to the Arabic street art.

WANTED

UPDATE 30 November 2011:

El Shenawy turned himself into the Ministry of Interior.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/28165/Egypt/Politics-/Sniper-of-the-eyes-surrenders-to-authorities-.aspx

UPDATE, 27 November 2011:

El Shenawy was not captured, but he will be summoned for questioning within the next 72 hours.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/28051/Egypt/Politics-/Security-source-denies-notorious-CSF-officer-at-la.aspx

UPDATE, 26 November 2011: CAPTURED

http://bikyamasr.com/49562/egypt-officer-who-was-cheered-for-shooting-protesters-eye-is-captured/

Translation:

WANTED

Search with the People

Two-Star Officer*: Mahmoud Sobhy El Shenawy

Officer in the Central Security Forces, accused of targeting eyes

Tens from the revolutionaries, the heroes in Tahrir.

Here is video of El Shenawy shooting protesters. This video was widely circulated on the internet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jzCqi_d0Yk

Leaflets were distributed around Midan Tahrir with a still-photo from the above video, stating that there's a 5,000 Egyptian pound reward for anyone who finds El Shenawy.

https://twitter.com/#!/SmithSofia/status/138870183547764736

*When an officer graduates from a 4 year college he automatically enters the CSF with 1 star. El Shenawy graduated college in 2009

Above are photos of the stencils used to produce the street art. The atmosphere in Midan Tahrir was very festive on Thursday--there were few ambulances and an abundance of families.

The violence near Midan Tahrir earlier in the week made it difficult for street artists to work. While the words down with SCAF were certainly abundant around Midan Tahrir, a certain degree of stability is necessary in order to create more detailed street art-- if you're worried about running from tear gas canisters, it's kind of hard to concentrate on making sure a stencil is straight.

Bashar El Assad

Translation: "King of the forest rides a tank."

The word forest (al-ghaba) is partially painted over.

This stencil of Bashar El Assad with a Hitler mustache (& the accompanying words) is by the street artist El Teneen. It began appearing in Cairo in August.

Translation: "The League of Sheikha Mozah"

These words are located on the gate of the Arab League (Gam'at El Duwal El Arabya) headquarters. There are two gates and both gates have the same words spray-painted on them.

Sheikha Mozah is the wife of the Qatari Emir. She was honored by the Health and Humanitarian Aid Department of the Arab League this October.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/162272-arab-league-body-to-honour-sheikha-moza.html

I am not sure when this street art was created or by whom and am thus not sure if there is a connection between the Sheikha Mozah and El Assad street art. I initially assumed that anything written on the Arab League gates was from the Syrian activists demonstrating outside and, considering how long the Syrian activists have been there, think that there is some validity to that assumption. Perhaps the Syrian activists renamed the League after Sheikha Mozah in order to shame it for concentrating on award ceremonies, instead of addressing the more pressing issue of the escalating brutality of Bashar El Assad and his regime in Syria.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the ongoing occupation of Midan Tahrir, Syrians continue to demonstrate outside the Arab League headquarters, which is located just off the Midan.

Today Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan called for Assad to step down. In his speech to the Turkish parliament, Erdogan said "Quit power before more blood is shed... for the peace of your people, your region and your country."

As I passed the building, I could see people snapping photos from the top floor balcony at the demonstrations in Midan Tahrir. Given the recent events in Cairo, it seems as though Erdogan's words wouldn't be out of place if directed at Egypt's SCAF.

Last week Jordan's King Abdullah called for Assad to step down, he was the first Arab leader to do so.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/2/8/27286/World/Region/Turkish-PM-calls-on-coward-Assad-to-quit.aspx

Bashar El Assad's regime did not comply with the Arab League's deadline for halting its violent crackdown.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15810579

S OU IL

Translation (of the spray-painted words): "Down with with military rule" (yuskut hokm el3askr)

The following is a photograph of the gate of the Maglis Al Shoura (Shoura Council) (the upper house in the Egyptian parliament).

The spray-paint is black and not very visible during the day, however, it is reflective at night.

The English letters were removed after the massive 9 September demonstration. The words were spray-painted two nights ago.

While English is an international language, why are the English letters as big (if not bigger) than the Arabic words? Were the English letters specifically targeted or were they taken down simply because they are easier to reach than the Arabic letters?

Furthermore, why did it take so long for someone to spray-paint the gate? While the words "yaskot 7okm el3askr" (down with military rule) were spray-painted as early as the 28 October demonstration (my personal photographs do not show any such street art before that demonstration, although I was not actively documenting street art before the end of September), the gate was only spray-painted after the deadly clashes in Midan Tahrir began. Does the very existence of this street art signal a turning point?

Where is the Love?

Translation: "Mubarak--> with love <-- Tantawi"

Standing in Midan Tahrir today, I heard the same chants that I heard on Al Jazeera 10 months ago- the only difference is that the name has changed. From Mubarak to Tantawi, one most wonder, where is the love for the Egyptian people?