September 27, 2019, marks the second week of protests in Egypt, with demonstrators accusing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his security forces of graft, calling for his removal. According to the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights, more than 2,000 people have been arrested - the biggest security crackdown since 2013 when military forces killed more than 1,000 citizens following the military coup that propelled President Sisi to power. The demonstrations come as a surprise given President Sisi’s government’s stronghold over obliterating political dissent since his rise to power: jailing thousands, increasing media censorship, and blocking hundreds of websites. The protests began in response to Mohammad Ali, a former government contractor now living in self-imposed exile in Spain, posting widely watched Facebook videos accusing President Sisi of wasting public funds for personal lavish enjoyment.
Egyptians were mobilized by the videos, given their anger over economic hardships and prolonged state repression. Almost a third of Egyptians live in poverty, and the situation has worsened under President Sisi, given his measures increasing prices of basic goods and devaluing the currency to secure a loan from the IMF. Many Egyptians chant for the ousting of President Sisi, but they remain fearful of the uncertainty and chaos that comes with ousting a leader – something Egyptians are all too familiar with, given the downfall of 2 presidents in the last decade.
