Egyptian soldiers and police set fire to protest tents in the middle of Cairo’s Tahrir Square and fired tear gas and rubber bullets in a major assault Sunday to drive out thousands demanding that the military rulers quickly transfer power to a civilian government. At least four protesters were killed.

It was the second day of clashes marking a sharp escalation of tensions on Egypt’s streets a week before the first elections since the ouster of longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in February. The military took over the country, promising a swift transition to civilian rule. But the pro-democracy protesters who led the uprising have grown increasingly angry with the ruling generals, and suspect they are trying to cling to power even after an elected parliament is seated and a new president is voted in.

The military-backed Cabinet said in a statement that elections set to begin on Nov. 28 would take place on time and thanked the police for their “restraint,” language that is likely to enrage the protesters even more.

“We’re not going anywhere,” protester Mohammed Radwan said after security forces tried unsuccessfully to push the crowds out of Tahrir, the epicenter of the uprising. “The mood is good now and people are chanting again,” he added after many of the demonstrators returned.

Two protesters were killed on Saturday, bringing the toll for two days of violence to six. The clashes were some of the worst since the uprising ended on Feb. 11.

The Egyptian Kronstadt

by Libcom.org   November 20. 2011

As violence intensifies in Egypt, the new Egyptian dictator accuses the protesters of being counter revolutionary. Are we going to see the Egyptian workers facing their Kronstadt or are they on the verge of a genuine Arab Spring?

A year ago thousands of working class Egyptians battled the police and army throughout the streets of Cairo. They were seeking to overthrow a brutal, corrupt, and undemocratic regime who made it clear that they would not go willingly.

Following a huge stand-off in Tahir square the regime was swept away. The Egyptian revolution then became the spark that kick started similar actions around the Arab world.

To say I was cynical about the Egyptian revolution is an understatement. To rid themselves of the Mubarak regime was fantastic, however I didn’t have much faith in what was to replace the old regime. It seemed that they were just swapping one set of bastards for another.

Twelve months down the line, what has changed in Egypt? Absolutely fuck all has changed. The lived experience of the Egyptian working class is no better. They do not have a democracy, or anything resembling one and the people are now back in the streets of Cairo fighting with the new regime. The new regime is suppressing the people just as the last one did. Nine hundred protestors have been injured so far.

The new Egyptian dictator Essam Sharaf, has called on the protestors to leave Tahir square as they are “threatening the revolution”. Spoken like a true Leninist!

There is no revolution in Egypt, all that has happened is that one group of bosses have replaced the other, and anyone who dares question the new regime is labelled as counter revolutionary.

I sincerely hope that there is a now a ‘real’ revolution in Egypt, where there is genuine workers control rather than just a new set of bosses who are friendly to the West. The coming weeks will show whether the Egyptian workers are facing their Kronstadt, or a genuine ‘Arab Spring’.