Egypt's Cabinet Offers to Resign; Protest Swells

Tahrir Square protesters want military to quit too
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 21, 2011 3:45 PM CST
Egypt's Civilian Government Offers to Resign; Tahrir Square Activists Continue Protests
An Egyptian man holds up a banners that reads in Arabic, 'The revolution is still running' during clashes on the third day with security forces at Tahrir Square in Cairo on November 21, 2011.   (Getty Images)

Egypt's civilian government offered to resign today in an apparent attempt to stem the 3-day tide of violence in Cairo, the AP reports. Thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square—who had called for the resignation—broke into cheers at the news and chanted "God is great," but showed no signs of backing down. "I don't think this crowd cares at all about the government," an activist tells the Guardian. "This is about a battle on the streets in which people are being killed."

Protesters had criticized the army-appointed cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, as a front for military rule—which they warn will continue after the elections coming in a week. Now some 10,000 activists have gathered in Tahrir Square, many of them chanting, "The people want the ouster of the field marshal." The crowd appears rougher than on previous days, harassing women and foreigners, and mixing Molotov cocktails, the New York Times reports. Says one activist: "We have finally succeeded in reclaiming our revolution." (More Cairo stories.)

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