Egypt Erupts in Jubilation As Mubarak Steps Down
Posted February 11, 2011 6:32 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has stepped down following weeks of protests demanding his ouster.
The vice-president Omar Suleiman made a brief statement on Friday, saying Mubarak had handed power over to the military.
“In these difficult circumstances that the country is passing through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave the position of the presidency,” Suleiman said.
“He has commissioned the armed forces council to direct the issues of the state,” he added.
Egyptians began to celebrate in the streets as soon as the announcement was made, chanting “Egypt is free! Egypt is free!”
According to the country’s constitution, an election will now have to be held within 60 days.
One of the protesters in Tahrir Square, Gigi Ibrahim, tells the BBC: “We did it. I cannot believe it. Mubarak the dictator has gone. And the Egyptian people will forever be free. We are so proud. Everyone is so happy. We’ve suffered for years and finally the dictator is gone. We will remember this day forever.”
A member of AlJazeera’s new media team, Riyaad Minty, tweeted a single word: History.
It was several hours before the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces gave a statement. In a televised address, a spokesman for the new government saluted those who gave their lives for freedom.
“We salute all the martyrs who have fallen…and to all the nation worldwide we seek guidance and assistance,” he said.
And in a televised address Friday afternoon, U.S. President Barack Obama praised the protesters and promised his country’s support as Egypt charted its new course.
“There are very few moments in our lives where we have the privilege to witness history taking place,” he said. “This is one of those moments.
“I am sure there will be difficult days ahead, and many questions remain unanswered, but I am confident that the people of Egypt can find the answers and do so peacefully, constructively, and in the spirit of unity that has defined these last few weeks.
“The word ‘tahrir’ means liberation. It’s a word that speaks to that something in our souls that cries out for freedom. And forever more it will remind us of the Egyptian people, of what they did, of the things that they stood for, and how they changed their country and in doing so changed the world.”
Speculation that Mubarak would soon leave began to mount on Thursday. Ahmed Khalifa, an Egyptian-born Toronto man, told CityNews.ca that the reaction to his resignation would be “huge.”
“It will be incredible. The square is amazing – it’s like Woodstock. It will be euphoric. No matter what happens, it’s a step forward. So this will be big, huge,” he said at the time.
Friday had marked the 18th straight day of public protests demanding Mubarak’s resignation.
Earlier in the day, Mubarak and his family left Cairo for Sharm el-Sheikh, a resort near the Red Sea. On Thursday, he handed over some powers to the vice-president.
Mubarak had been in power for nearly 30 years.
The Egyptian movement was bolstered by the revolution in Tunisia last month that saw President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali removed from power. Earlier this week in Jordan, King Abdullah restructured his cabinet and in southern Yemen, protesters are demanding secession from the north.
Egypt is the most populous Arab nation and a key U.S. ally in the oil-rich region.
Below is a live Twitter feed tracking the hashtag #Egypt.
Toronto residents react as the news of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepping down spreads:
