Cord Jefferson
Senior Editor
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Using everything from cellphone cameras to professional recording equipment, Egypt's citizens made sure their recent revolution wasn't just televised, but broadcast around the entire world. Here, an inspiring and sometimes frightening look at the past three weeks' events as Egypt saw them unfold. Above, protesters sprint from police on the first day of demonstrations, January 25.
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Protesters gathered in Tahrir Square on the first evening of the rebellion to chant through the night. Tahrir would become a focal point for the protesting.
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On January 28, with the police and army out in full force, a sea of demonstrators turned back government forces on the Qasr al-Nil Bridge. When police turned the hoses on them, the demonstrators prayed.
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By January 29, the army had decided that it would not fire on its countrymen. Here, protesters fearlessly ride tanks in Tahrir Square.
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In another staggering juxtaposition, protesters pray peacefully next to giant implements of war on January 30.
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Even after the Egyptian government blacked out the internet and killed Vodafone service, protesters organized and turned out by the millions. As this protester said on January 31, "This is not about the internet, this is about the needs and rights of the Egyptian people."
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Throughout the chaos, demonstrators consistently formed municipal task forces to guard water and power stations, arrest criminals, and clean the streets. In this February 1 video, witness men amidst millions of their furious countrymen nevertheless take the time to pick up litter.
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About a week after the protests began, roving gangs of Mubarak supporters, some of them paid, came out to violently clash with anti-government crowds. Here, some of the crude implements of war pro-Mubarak people were throwing at anti-Mubarak people on February 2.
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Despite the threat of violence, the anti-government hordes could not be deterred. A tremendous mass of people swarmed and swirled about Tahrir on February 2, dodging locks, rocks, and bricks all along the way.
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A closer, ground-level look at the violence.
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Of course, as you know by now, the protesters triumphed. Mubarak stepped down, leaving the reins of the nation in the hands of the military—30 years of dictatorship dissolved in 17 days. Naturally, everyone rejoiced at Tahrir, which translates to "liberation."
photo via AP
