Egyptian Army Chief Tells Protesters: 'All Your Demands will be Met'
Thursday, February 10, 2011|
Spicy NewsEgypt's Army Chief of Staff waded into the jubilant crowd of protesters in Egypt's Tahrir Square today and told them cryptically, "All your demands will be met tonight."
When asked by ABC News whether that meant that President Hosni Mubarak would leave office, Army Chief of Staff Sami Eman replied, "It ends tonight."
The crowd around Eman erupted in a roar of cheers and began singing the national anthem.
Egypt's interior minister told ABC News officials are meeting to discuss the next steps but would not confirm nor deny whether embattled President Hosni Mubarak is indeed stepping down, as some reports suggest.
"You will know soon," the minister said.
The head of the ruling party Hossam Badrawi told the Associated Press that he expects Mubarak to "address the people tonight to respond to protesters demands."
In one makeshift hospital near the square, as rumors of Mubarak's departure spread, the injured and healthy literally jumped for joy, hugging and kissing each other.
But others were more cautious, waiting to hear what follows Mubarak before they truly celebrate.
A group of young men gathered in Tahrir Square told ABC News they wouldn't be satisfied if the military takes Mubarak's place, and that they want full democracy.
"We don't want dictators or soldiers to lead. We are ready for democracy," said one protester.
In Tahrir Square, soldiers who had been screening everyone coming in appeared to be standing down and people streamed in from all directions uninterrupted.
Egypt's armed forces issued a statement broadcast on state radio, saying they will protect the people and will support the demands of the people. The state television reported that the council of armed forces met today to discuss the current situation, and resolved to convene regularly. "We will ensure the protection of the people and that their legitimate demands are met," the army said.
Neither Mubarak nor his new vice president, Omar Suleiman, were present at the meeting.
The protests, in their 17th day, gained momentum today as protesters and labor unions across the country went on strike today, adding more fuel to the revolutionary fire.
Factory workers, textile workers, laborers on the Suez Canal, all stopped working. On Tahrir Square, doctors and bus drivers joined the protests today, in a sign of solidarity. The transport strike brought traffic in a city famous for its congestion, to a standstill.
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