Egypt marks first Eid free of Mubarak

TENS of thousands of Egyptians prayed in celebration of Eid al-Fitr in Tahrir Square yesterday, the epicentre of the protest that toppled president Hosni Mubarak in February.

Thousands gathered bearing Egyptian flags to celebrate the first Eid, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, since Mubarak was overthrown. “The square is ours. The country is ours,” one man chanted before settling into the prayer.

In his sermon, Sheikh Mazhar Shaheen, who became the symbolic preacher in Tahrir during the uprising, said: “Today is a joyous day without Mubarak. Everybody knows Egypt will not return to what it was before 25 January.

“The next president must learn the lesson from his predecessor because the Egyptian people will not accept injustice ever again.”

In the past, Eid sermons attended by government ministers were broadcast on TV. But yesterday, state television showed not just the official gathering but also footage of Tahrir Square.