Egypt streets remain calm on uprising's 7th anniversary

By Omar Thabit

CAIRO

Calm prevailed in Cairo and in other parts of the country on the seventh anniversary of Egypt’s 2011 popular uprising due largely to stepped-up security measures imposed by the authorities.

Thursday marked the passage of seven years since the outbreak of mass demonstrations that eventually forced autocratic President Hosni Mubarak to step down after three decades in power.

The anniversary was accompanied by strong winds and rainfall that disrupted navigation at the country’s seaports and affected traffic in several provinces.

No rallies, demonstrations or celebrations were seen as a result of draconian security measures imposed by the authorities, especially in and around the urban Cairo, Giza and Qalioubiya provinces.

Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the 2011 uprising, saw particularly heavy security deployments.