Egypt marks 5th anniversary of uprising against Mubarak

Egypt on Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak but failed to bring about the goals of democracy and freedom the young activists who spearheaded the “revolution” had espoused.

Amid concerns over new outbreaks of violence, the run-up to the anniversary saw stepped-up security in the capital, Cairo, as well as a new wave of arrests and security checks in the city’s downtown area, where cafes and art galleries are popular with young, pro-democracy activists.

Thousands of police are deployed outside police stations, security offices and vital installations, while riot police backed by armored vehicles stand ready around Cairo’s Tahrir Square — the focal point of the 2011 uprising — and outside the nearby, Nile-side headquarters of state television. Streets leading to key government buildings are sealed off.

— AFP