Egypt rallies mark anti-Mubarak uprising anniversary
Thousands of Egyptians are holding a rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square marking the first anniversary of the uprising which toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
Some are celebrating the success of Islamist parties in the first post-Mubarak elections, while others are calling for further political reforms.
The decades-old state of emergency law has been partially lifted to mark the anniversary.
Mr Mubarak is on trial accused of ordering the killing of demonstrators.
He denies the charges.
Hundreds of people who had been sentenced to jail by military courts were due to be released on Wednesday as a concession to the protesters.
‘Goals not met’On Tuesday night, several thousand people had already gathered to camp out in Tahrir Square, the focus of last year’s demonstrations - they were joined by thousands more in the morning, representing both the liberal and Islamist ends of the new political spectrum.
The BBC’s Jon Leyne, in Cairo, says the mood is peaceful so far, resembling more a huge street party than a political protest.
The various groups are all competing to claim ownership of the revolution, says our correspondent, from the youth movement which began the protests a year ago to the Muslim Brotherhood, which now dominates parliament, and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), which took power last February after Mr Mubarak stepped down.
Protesters who stayed in the square overnight put up tents and chanted slogans against the military council, which many say should stand down immediately.
“We are not here to celebrate. We are here to bring down military rule,” pharmacist Iman Fahmy told the Associated Press news agency.
“They have failed the revolution and met none of its goals.”
Demonstrator Khaled Abdallah told the Reuters news agency: “The army and police murdered us and cut off the revolution’s voice; but I am telling you now, the revolution’s voice will not be silenced.”
Other groups chanted “Down with military rule” and “Revolution until victory, revolution in all of Egypt’s streets”.
But some people in the square said the protests should end and the new leaders be given time to move Egypt forward.
