A double-edged sword
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A double-edged sword
25 January, 2021
Egyptians wave their national flag in Cairo's Tahrir Square on February 25, 2011, shortly after protesters forced the departure of longtime president Hosni Mubarak. Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images
January 25, 2011, will forever be known in the Arab world as a day of revolution â one that was made possible by the rise of social media.
Thousands of Egyptians swarmed the countryâs streets to voice their discontent with President Hosni Mubarakâs tyrannical regime. They serenaded Cairoâs neighbourhoods with songs of freedom, filled the polluted air with rhythmic reminders of past joys and spoke of a brighter future for their children. Crowds funneled their way through the narrow downtown passageways, fusing into a single 15,000 strong collective to occupy Tahrir Square â a central landmark that translates to âCentre of Victory.â