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NYC’ s Little Egypt Rejoices: No More Morsi

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In January 2013, statements made by ex-Egyptian President Morsi gained wide attention, in which he called the Israelis
In January 2013, statements made by ex-Egyptian President Morsi gained wide attention, in which he called the Israelis
On Wednesday, July 3rd, the Egyptian military ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, the first democratically elected president in Egypt, after just a year in power.

This followed a four-day anti-Morsi revolt, with anti-government rallies that some critics say topped those of 2011. Following the leader’s resignation, all across Egypt anti-Morsi protesters could be heard chanting, “God is great,” and “Long live Egypt.”

Meanwhile, all the way across the world, members of New York’s “Little Egypt” gathered on the sidewalks of the neighborhood in Astoria, Queens, in pride: celebrating their country’s overthrowing of the former leader.

While some chose to congregate in the streets, holding up Egyptian flags while joyfully chanting Egyptian songs, others assembled inside their homes, their eyes glued to Arabic-language news programs showcasing live footage of happy protestors outside Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

During Egypt’s election season, Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood party, famously flaunted his doctorate from the University of Southern California. Some had hoped his education would be an asset to his role as president, but he proved to disappoint in his promise to Westernize the country’s laws.

“We gave him a chance for one year and he didn’t do anything,” said Abdilmoniem Mohamed, 55, a Bronx resident who was at the Arab Community Center in Astoria.

Another man told CBS News that Egypt now needs “more food, more jobs – of course, he didn’t do nothing for us. That’s why (he was) removed.”

Likewise, Queens resident Sam Sam, 48, blamed Morsi for putting out defamatory public statements that could trigger the kind of conflicts that some Arabs feared would turn Egypt into another Iraq.

“It is not going to happen in Egypt because all Egyptians are united — Jewish, Christians, Muslim,” he told the New York Post. “[Morsi] was dividing the country.”

Throughout the streets of Astoria, Egyptians also sang praises to the country’s military. Egypt’s armed forces played a tremendous role in removing Mubarak from office two years ago, and most recently in removing Morsi.

“The military’s duty is to secure the people so that [Morsi’s] Muslim Brothers didn’t attack,” said a proud Egyptian-New Yorker. “They were ready to attack. The military saved Egypt.”

After Morsi stepped down on Wednesday, Egyptian Army Chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adli Mansour will serve as interim president until new elections are held.

CBS News reported that El-Sissi said the military had a responsibility to act because Morsi “did not meet the demands of the masses of the people.”

Meanwhile, at least 16 people died during the recent protests, including 21-year-old American Andrew Pochter, who was teaching English in the country.

 

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