Thousands gather in Egypt's Tahrir Square for 'Day of Victory'
By the CNN Wire Staff
February 18, 2011 -- Updated 1209 GMT (2009 HKT)
A military band marches into Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday during planned
"Victory Day" celebrations.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* NEW: Organizers are calling for the release of political detainees
* They also want an end to Egypt's state of emergency
* The military has been in charge since the February 11 resignation of
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Waving flags and beating drums, thousands gathered in
Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday for a "Day of Victory" rally to celebrate the
one-week anniversary of the ouster of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
In what was a symbol of the dramatic change taking hold across the society,
Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, a Muslim cleric banned from entering the country during
the Mubarak years, delivered the Friday sermon to the throng and the startling
appearance was broadcast on state television.
"O Egyptians, Coptic Christians and Muslims, this is your day, all of you.
January 25 was your revolution," said Qaradawi, who has a program called
"Shariah and Life" on the Al-Jazeera television network.
Qaradawi -- who returned to his Egyptian homeland on Thursday -- said the
"youth of the revolution has lifted the head of this country and made us proud
once again."
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"They are the new partisans of God. These are the young people of Egypt. The
revolution is not over yet. The revolution just began. We need to rebuild
Egypt. Be aware of those who want to take it away from you," he said.
Qaradawi insisted that the money "stolen" by the Mubarak regime be returned to
the Egyptian people and praised the "martyrs" who died in the upheaval and for
the sake of the religion.
The march at the square -- the epicenter of 18 days of protests that led to
Mubarak stepping down -- is also meant to remind the military that Egyptians
were watching the ongoing reform process.
Celebrations are expected in other cities across the nation as well.
Organizers said in a statement that the event was held to "both celebrate the
revolution and call for a number of demands that are yet to be fulfilled."
Some of those demands include "freeing political detainees, issuing a statement
on lost protesters, ending the state of emergency, holding corrupt officials
accountable and tracing their assets," the statement said.
The military has been in charge since February 11, when Mubarak's resignation
was announced. Top military leaders dissolved parliament, suspended the
constitution and vowed to remain in charge until elections can be held in six
months or so.
The sheikh praised "the armed forces' statements on protecting the revolution
and their promises for a democratic transition of power" and hailed the
nation's courage and unity.
"The people changed so God changed their destiny. The state of fear crumbled.
The old Pharaohs used to scare people and the old regime did the same but the
young people insisted and they raised our heads with pride," said Qaradawi, who
has lived in Qatar and has a Qatari passport.
"Egyptians stood together, Muslims and Christians, and the revolution brought
down the sectarianism that they (the old regime) promoted for so long. We saw
Christians protecting their Muslim brothers while they prayed in Tahrir Square
during the revolution."
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