Al-Ahram this morning leads with, “The right to protest for all,” but emphasizes that those protesting must be of as little inconvenience as possible to the state. The government mouthpiece states that protesting is an equitable right for all, but those protesting have to respect the best interest of other citizens and not block roads.
Presidential Spokesperson Yasser Ali says that the Egyptian citizen has matured after the revolution. Egyptians should now be able to tell the difference between those practicing lawful rights and those who are intent on disruption, he says. He adds that the country offers protection for the protesters who respect the laws and demonstrate peacefully. He adds that the right to protest is among the rights gained from the 25 January revolution.
Independent daily Al-Shorouk, however, focuses on the reality of the current protests, “Hundreds of protesters around the presidential palace and the numbers of wounded rises.” The newspaper states that several groups of protesters arrived at the presidential palace last night. Those who called for the protest vow that they will continue to arrange the weekly protests until the Brotherhood’s rule ends.
Protesters built several tents in the vicinity of the palace, and security forces have blocked all the roads leading to the castle to prevent more people from joining the protest. Protesters hung a large banner that reads “Down with Brotherhood rule.”
Meanwhile, Egypt witnessed yesterday its first Mohamed Bouazizi incident when Arafa Kamel set himself on fire yesterday in from of the presidential palace in protest of what he says was an unjust severance from the state electricity company. Kamel is suffering from second degree burns, according to paramedics, on both his arms and face. Kamel told al-Shorouk that he set himself on fire after he failed in getting back his job. He claims that he stayed outside the palace for five hours without being addressed by an official from the government.
State-owned Al-Akhbar features the ambivalent headline, 'Friday protests did not succeed or fail.' Presidential spokesperson Yasser Ali states that security forces will not interfere with the protesters unless the communication is cut completely between both sides. Ali said that the security checkpoints around the presidential palace and in the neighboring areas will be removed soon to facilitate traffic movement.
Al-Akhbar, for the second day in a row, leads with more information about the arrest of a criminal called Sabry Helmy Nakhnoukh, one of the highest profile thugs from Mubarak reign.
“Mubarak time was better and the Brotherhood wants my head,” Nakhnoukh said , according to Al-Akhbar.
Nakhnoukh also claims to be closely affiliated with the fallen regime especially with former Minister of Interior Habib al-Adly. Nakhnoukh was arrested with 16 of his assistants last Thursday in a villa in King Maryout, Alexandria. Public prosecutors have charged him and his gang with thuggery, the possession of weapons and drugs, and with facilitating prostitution.
The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Newspaper writes, “Abu Hamed protest fails,” proudly exclaiming the failure of the Brotherhood’s scattered opposition protests that were staged this weekend. The newspaper elaborates that the number of protesters dwindled considerably in the second day.
Specialists say that the protest does not represent the real opposition, as it opposes a rightful elected entity. Political scientist Abdel Salam Noweir tells Freedom and Justice that those who failed in the elections cannot rightly take down the winners.
On a different note, the Brotherhood mouthpiece writes about an Egyptian-Sudanese strategic, economical and commercial alliance. It reports that President Mohamed Morsy received on Saturday the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aly Kerty. The newspaper states that four main roads will open allowing direct transportation between Alexandria and Khartoum.
The alliance will include agricultural and land reclamation projects, in addition to investment projects between Egypt, Sudan and Libya. On its third page, the Muslim Brotherhood's mouthpiece writes, “The president visits China Tomorrow.” President Morsy will discuss with his Chinese counterpart the means of cooperation between both countries, especially on the economical level. According to the publication, the business sector is setting high hopes on this trip.
Egypt’s papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Watan: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Youm7: Daily, privately owned
Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned
Freedom and Justice: Daily, published by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Nasserist Party
Al-Nour: Official paper of the Salafi Nour Party
