Revolution 2.0

With the Super Bowl coming up many Americans are getting ready to get their chips and queso, beer, and plop in front of the TV as they are entranced by the game (and also the commercials). Quite different from American football is Egyptian from football. As with the rest of the world, they call what we call soccer, football. Things are often taken more seriously with this sport, with different clubs having fierce rivalries and fans often get caught up in less-than satisfactory situations. Unfortunately one of these situations happened in Egypt, a place of instability since Mubarak's ousting. The worst brawl in 15 years, recently a riot broke out after club Al-Masry defeated rival club Al-Ahly 3-1. Immediately after the game ended, Al-Masry fans flooded the field to celebrate. What exactly prompted the next course events is uncertain, but it became an overall riot. The usual finger-pointing was had between the two clubs, but regardless things quickly got out of hand. Firecrackers and flares were thrown into crowds and reports of stabbings were rampant. The Al-Ahly team has to sprint off the field and hunker down in their locker room until they were rescued, as thousands outside brawled. This all happened with little intervention from police. Is this an indication of more to come? What has this have to do with Egypt's revolution and it's future?



The security at the soccer game may have been too small to properly handle a riot of that magnitude, but many are calling out the interim government for not responding quickly to the violence erupting after the game. Others even say that the military general led government purposely allowed the violence to happen in order to extend their rule. Regardless of the motive behind the lack of response, this situation clearly represents what can and will happen in a country will a security vacuum. When the police have been the enemy for so long, the new government is bound to pull them back a lot because of the public outcry against them. But this creates new problems, as seen here. The whole revolution has left people with the taste of disobedience and action, and this can lead to situations like this. Between this and dissatisfaction with the interim government, these clubs are often politically inclined, sometimes leading to risky maneuvers. In this case the Al-Ahly club has been vocal against the interim government and how things are taking place after the revolution. Some believe that the lack of security and the fact that the Al-Ahly club was stranded there before they were rescued was because of their political leanings. That this was meant as a lesson to them to keep quiet about such things. Now most of these theories sounds like conspiracy theories, but one has to remember the place where this is taking place. Government and political cover ups are nothing new to Egypt, so one must not be too quick to throw out these seemingly out there theories. Because the egyptian people have definitely become angry with the government after this.

Troops were deployed in Port Said following the clashes. Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the head of the country's ruling military council, vowed to track down those behind the violence.

After the riot, anger flared at the government for they lack of response. Soon people took to the streets once more, calling for better protection and for a government that responds for the people. However this time response was much more than at the riot, as riot police took to the streets as well, firing tear gas and reportedly live rounds, leaving at the moment 4 dead after the initial riot and 138 injured. Citizens took the the streets to protest against the government in Cairo, but things soon deteriorated into a riot as Interior buildings were set on fire and riot police fought back as the protestors neared the Interior Ministry.

Egyptian protesters help a wounded man during clashes with security forces near the interior ministry in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP / Khalil Hamra)

Clashes between police and protestors over the past few days have intensified and leads many to wonder if there is a possibility of a revolution mark II. Many in the country, especially the youth who started the revolution, are upset that many of Mubarak's cronies and generals are still in power. Despite their claim that they will hand over power to an elected official or new parliaments soon, the interim government has yet to do so, increasing distrust among it's citizens. This distrust has culminated in this riot against them, sparked by their inaction at the soccer riot. Tensions are running high as ever and violence is looming. With all of these recent happenings it seems that there may be another revolution to oust the post-revolutionary government. Being one of the first countries to succeed in the Arab Spring, Egypt is still very much  a leader in this revolution era. But with all the problems they have been facing, it seems that Egypt has to get everything together before it can act as a role model for other countries in this tense time.