Friday of (Dis)unity

This past week’s protests in Tahrir Square were planned as the “Friday of Unity”, in which various political factions and parties would come together to present a united front in support of social justice, economic reform, judiciary changes, rights for the families of those who were killed in the revolution and other demands that have been heard repeatedly over the past five months. Instead, this day of protest proved to be the most divisive to date as conflict erupted not between the protesters and the military or police, but within the protesters themselves.

As tens of thousands filled Tahrir Square on Friday, Islamic groups - such as the extremely conservative Salafis and the relatively moderate Muslim Brotherhood - took to the square and outnumbered secular, moderate and liberal groups who have led the protests for the past five months. Familiar calls for justice and reform were overwhelmed by new demands for an Islamic state governed by sharia law. The show of might by these Islamist groups was so strong that many of the other groups who were meant to be involved in the protest left the square in the early afternoon, claiming that the day had been hijacked.

Some wonder if this Friday of (dis)unity is a sign of growing division and discontent in Egypt, as rifts between conservatives and liberals, military and civilians, Muslims and Christians, etc. seem to be deepening. For now, only time will tell.