Egyptian demonstrators held up a message of hope on the corner of UF’s campus to honor the third anniversary of what they refer to as “The Great Uprising”.
At 1 p.m. on Saturday, about 20 protesters gathered at the intersection of SW 13th St. and West University Avenue to support Egyptians against oppression.
Haitham Gabr, president of the Egyptian Students Association of UF, which hosted the event, said the goal of the protest was to draw attention to the controversial political climate in Egypt.
“This is the number one thing we can do,” he said, a 28-year-old UF Ph.D. computer information science engineering student. “We wish the people passing to be more aware of what’s happening in Egypt.”
Demonstrators held signs that read: “Stand for Democracy in Egypt” and, “Democracy means respecting peoples choices”.
Bystanders honked their horns and gave a thumbs up to the demonstrators as they passed by.
New member of ESAUF, Abdu Abdelazin, said he wants Americans to realize that democracy in Egypt is not easy.
“To get freedom and democracy people are sacrificing and they know they may be killed,” he said. “We want to send our voice here in America and have support.”
However, some have an alternate view of Saturday’s demonstration.
“I think Egypt is back on the right track, maybe starting to get what they want,” said Mohamed El Karawy, a 21-year-old UF mechanical engineering junior.
He said he encourages UF students to investigate for themselves what is going on in Egypt and to get both sides of the story.
“It is a hard time (in Egypt right now),” Karawy said, “but I’m much happier we are moving forward on the right path.”
The Egyptian Student Association of UF protests on University Avenue Saturday afternoon to raise awareness for oppression in Egypt.
