Tahrir Square is seeing history repeating itself given that it has previously played host to another revolution in Egypt. Back in 1952 the square will filled with protesters who sought the removal of King Farouk. King Farouk was successfully overthrown and Egypt was placed under military rule under the leadership of Gamul Abdul Nasser. Two years later the square was renamed Liberation Square.
Liberation Square is the focal point of life in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, as the surrounding area is packed with some of Egypt's most prominent buildings. Buildings such as:
- the Egyptian Museum, which was tragically looted during the protest last week,
- the National Democratic Party (NDP) Headquarters,
- the Mogamma government building,
- the Headquarters of the Arab League
- as well as the original downtown campus of American University.
The square is of such national importance one national newspaper is quoted as saying "
whatever happens in Tahrir Square immediately becomes a national concern" The square has also been the a traditional staging ground for Cairenes with grievances against the government, an examples being the bread riots of 1977 or more recently protests against the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
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