Mubarak Rally, Sept. 2005

With our blood
And our souls
We sacrifice for you
We sacrifice for you, Oh Mubarak!


Catchy, isn’t it? It is to me now, this simple chant, repeating over and over in my mind, reminding me of the feel of the democracy emerging in Egypt. I’ve just come from Mubarak’s last political rally in the campaign, Egypt’s first contested presidential election will take place in three days. Mubarak delivered a speech at the rally, but the crowd barely heard him. They refused to stop chanting their dedication to the president, arms high, waving posters and banners, shouting over one another and over Mubarak himself. “We love you Mubarak,” they chanted. “Gamal,” they chanted, addressing the president’s son and protégé. “Tell your father that we love him.”

The rally was called for 8 p.m. in one of the largest open squares in Cairo, the formal square around Aberdeen Palace, the last palace of the king. As we approached from the downtown area, security forces manned a metal fence, blocking off the road a few blocks from the rally. We showed our journalist credentials and got in, making our way with a steady stream of people past rows of stores to the rally entrance.

There were a bewildering array of security forces. Police in white uniforms, decorated officers in formal attire, security men in black bulletproof vests and in riot helmets, camouflaged-swathed army and Republican Guard types, suited undercover security forces. Thousands of men, arrayed in rows, most looking no older than 19.

Our first idea was to try to join the main crowd and come through the admission line. We joined a line pushing through a gap in the riot police, which led to a metal detector. The young men pushing past us wouldn’t let go of each other to let us through. Around the back of the event, where we were sent when unable to navigate this scene, there was little securely, but a long list, like a bouncer would have. Finally they found my name and let me through…no friend and translator though. We walked into the main rally space, climbed over a fence with the help of a few chairs and security forces, and put myself on my way.