A number of youth movements and parties announced they would not participate in the Friday demonstration the Muslim Brotherhood and its political party have organized to "save the revolution," describing it as a demonstration of "settling accounts" between the Brotherhood and the ruling military council.
April 6 Youth Movement-Democratic Front spokesperson Tarek al-Kholy said the group would not respond to the calls of "certain parties" that aim to achieve personal or party interests.
Youth for Freedom and Justice Movement Coordinator Mohamed Awad called for a demonstration on Labor Day, 1 May, instead of the "million-man demonstrations for personal interests," in reference to the Brotherhood's planned protest. He noted that Labor Day should be an occasion to raise the demands of workers, and not a mere celebration.
Awad said revolutionary youth succeeded in pressing the military council to apply Political Isolation Law 17/2012 to strip top-level Mubarak officials of their political rights, but noted that they still have more demands, including the amendment of Article 28 of the interim constitution, which prevents legal challenges to Presidential Elections Commission decisions. They also want election ballots counted by sub-electoral committees to avoid manipulation.
The spokesperson for the April 6 Youth Movement's Ahmed Maher Front, Mahmoud Afify, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the group would also not participate in the Friday protest.
Member of the National Association for Change Taqadom al-Khateib said the association would not take part in the Islamist-organized protest Friday for many reasons, one of which was that Islamists did not consult with the organization.
Union of Revolutionary Youth spokesperson Amr Hamed said the majority of its members would not participate, but a few were mulling joining in amid fears of the Brotherhood's control over the protest.
Khaled Telema, a leader of the 25 January Revolution Youth Coalition, said the coalition has not yet taken a position on the demonstration.
"I myself will not participate because we need to rearrange priorities before going down to the square with the Muslim Brotherhood," he said.
The protest demands are not specific and citizens have a right to know why they should join, said Tagammu Party spokesperson Nabil Zaki, who referred to the demonstration as aimed at "intimidating the military council to follow the whim of some political groups."
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
