Political forces speak out on October 6 protests

Political parties had mixed reactions to Sunday’s rival demonstrations, as they devolved into violent clashes scattered throughout the capital and elsewhere in the country.

While thousands converged on the iconic Tahrir Square to celebrate the military on Armed Forces Day — the anniversary of the 1973 October 6 War — protesters demonstrating against the military-led ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi also attempted to march to the square. Clashes between protesters, security forces and neighborhood residents erupted in downtown, Garden City and Dokki, while elsewhere in Egypt violence was also reported in Alexandria and in the Minya village of Delga, where at least one protester was killed.

A leading member of the Salafi Nour Party, Khaled Alam Eldin, criticized Sunday’s events, which his party did not participate in.

“It’s well known that today is a national holiday, but I disagree with the idea that both parties decided to demonstrate in the same place, Tahrir Square; especially because it is clear that the security forces are protecting the pro-military [demonstrators] and targeting the others,” Alam Eldin told Mada Masr.

“This shows that the military is losing its impartiality and with time will be dragged deeply into politics,” he warned.  

But Mahmoud al-Alaily, secretary of the Free Egyptians Party, had a different take on the day’s violence.  

“You see the people are helping the security forces arresting the Muslim Brotherhood [protesters]. This shows that it’s not a battle with the security forces, but between the people themselves,” he argued.

Since Morsi was removed from office by military mandate on July 3, Muslim Brotherhood-organized protests calling for his reinstatement have grown increasingly smaller and infrequent. Mohamed al-Assas, a leader of the Egyptian Current Party and former Brotherhood member, told Mada Masr he believes the success or failure of these demonstrations will be telling about the future of the group itself.

“It’s clear enough that both sides are trying to use the whole event for their respective interests. The military is using the crowd [in Tahrir] to show that it's heavily supported, and the MB is trying to show that we’re still capable of [making an impact in] the street,” he asserted.

“But I believe that the group must think of a political solution so it can survive, rather than only protesting, which show its weakness.”