How do you write a banned number?

The black-and-yellow Rabea sign began vanishing from social media accounts after the Muslim Brotherhood was designated a terrorist group last week, according to the state-run news portal EgyNews.

The four-fingered salute has come to symbolize the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators during the dispersal of a Muslim Brotherhood-organized sit-in at Rabea al-Adaweya on August 14. Protesters at the sit-in were demanding the reinstatement of former President Mohamed Morsi, who was removed from office by the army after mass protests against him. 

Since Morsi was removed from office, supporters demonstrating for his return often marched with posters of his face. Increasingly, however, his image was replaced with the yellow and black Rabea sign.

“There has been a noticeable disappearance of the Rabea sign from the social media pages of activists loyal to the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood group,” the EgyNews report stated.

While there’s little room left for satire in this polarized and precarious political climate, social media remains relentless in its sarcastic reaction to news and government decisions, and the symbol has just as quickly been replaced by a number of sarcastic takes on the number four. 

The internet was flush with images showing different ways to portray the number four without using the now incriminating four black fingers.

On one image with a yellow background, the words “the number before five” are written in black. Another is imprinted with the mathematical equation of the square route of 16 over the words, “those who fear keep safe.” 

In yet another portrayal of the Rabea sign, the words on the yellow background allude to the number four with a wink and Arabic words stating, “you know what sign,” with “I’m legal this way" written underneath.

The interim Cabinet designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization on December 25. Ensuing decisions based on Article 86 of the Penal Code make participating in a Brotherhood protest a crime punishable with five years in prison.

Anyone who is proven to be a member of the outlawed organization, propagates the teachings or ideologies of the group in writing or verbally, or possesses publications or recordings supporting the Brotherhood could also face prison sentences upwards of five years.

This also applies to anyone who carries the Rabea sign, prints it or uses it on their social media accounts.

The EgyNews article claimed this has prompted many of those loyal to the group to remove the sign from their social media accounts. But this weekend, reactions on social media were quite the opposite.

While numerous arrests have been made over the past days at Brotherhood protests, there have been no reports so far of arrests being linked specifically to social media activity.