The Facebook Page of Egypt's Protesters

Categories: Activism, Politics
Khalid_Mohamed_Said_before_his_death-204x300.jpg
Facebook.com
Khaled Said, whom police beat to death.
As the Obama administration calls for an incremental transition of power in Eqypt and South Florida protesters join the rallying cry to overthrow President Hosni Mubarak, it's becoming more and more difficult to understand what ordinary Egyptians think about the massive uprisings in their country.

One Facebook page offers a unique window into the world of the activists who have been agitating for months to end the oppressive, 30-year reign of Mubarak. The page, We are all Khaled Said, has 47,000 fans and is the biggest dissident Facebook page in Egypt, according to the New York Times.

It's named after Khaled Said, a 28-year-old Egyptian businessman who was dragged from a café and brutally beaten to death by two policemen last June. Human rights groups said Said was killed because he had "evidence of police corruption," the Times reported.

Days after Said's death, the Facebook page was created, and it included pictures of Said's mangled, bloodied face. The page helped galvanize people to join the movement to ouster Mubarak. Protesters now carry signs with Said's photo as they march in the streets.

Today on the Khaled Said page, you can see a video of Egytian Christians holding a mass in Tahrir Square and read the activists' responses to official media claims that they are getting free meals from KFC.

It's a rare look inside a revolution that, despite Mubarak's attempt to shut down internet and cell phone service, is still playing out vividly through social media.

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