U.S. Protesters Take to the Streets to Support Egyptians

U.S. Protesters Take to the Streets to Support Egyptians: "

CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of people in Egypt who flooded streets in
riots calling for President Hosni Mubarak to step down were joined
Saturday by relatives and supporters at protests in major American
cities.

“Mubarak will go. If not today, then tomorrow,” Magdy Al-Abady, 39,
of Chicago, said during a demonstration downtown in front of the
Egyptian consulate’s office. The genomics researcher, with an Egyptian
flag draped over his shoulders, said his brother and parents were
protesting in Egypt and he was speaking often with his brother.

Protesters also gathered outside the United Nations complex in New York
City, filled the street in front of the Egyptian embassy in Washington
and marched through downtown San Francisco to show solidarity with the
uprising.

In Chicago, picketers marched and chanted, “Hey Mubarak you will see,
all Egyptians will be free.“ They held signs that said ”Victory to the
Egyptian people“ and ”Freedom and Justice for all Egyptians.”

Al-Abady said he wants President Barack Obama to support the Egyptian people.

“He must say very clearly that he does not support Mubarak,” Al-Abady
said. “Mubarak is not Egypt. The Egyptians are not Mubarak.”

The crowd in New York called for the international community to support the popular uprising and abandon Mubarak.

Dahlia Ashour, a native of the Egyptian capital of Cairo who still
has family in Egypt, said she was disappointed Obama hadn’t made a
forceful statement in support of the protesters. “He should be standing
by the people, not by the regime,” she said.

Ahmed Soliman, of Manhattan, said Egypt deserves a leader who is
“completely democratic.” He said the riots and massive demonstrations
are the result of genuine popular anger, not the work of a scheming
opposition party.

“This is coming from the people,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for
this to happen. I left Egypt 18 years ago, and I have been dreaming of
this day since then.”

In downtown Seattle, protesters carried hand-lettered signs, saying “We‘ll shout until he’s out“ and ”Down, Down Mubarak.”

Dozens gathered in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass., to peacefully
protest, waving Egyptian flags, holding signs and chanting for Mubarak
to step down as they marched toward Boston.

In San Francisco, a crowd crammed into a small plaza waving Egyptian
flags and raising chants in English and Arabic against Mubarak.
Demonstrators said they were not placated by Mubarak’s decision Saturday
to name his intelligence chief as his first-ever vice president.

Basma Hassan, 35, a Chicago student and mother, waved the Egyptian
flag and said she wants the Egyptian people to know they have support in
the United States.

“We feel their pain,” she said. “We don’t want anyone to think we betrayed them.”

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