Today during our moving madness, we share some slices of history.
The first time I called a global hotspot hotel to talk to a regular person was Feb 2, 2011, as protests engulfed Cairo’s Tahrir Square at the start of the Arab Spring.
One of the benefits of having been doing this show for so many years is the historical record left behind. Today we experience history unfolding…
Remember the Arab Spring? We had such hope that Democracy would finally sweep through the middle east. It began with a singular act of defiance!
On Dec 17, 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian street vendor who had his produce confiscated by police, set himself on fire to protest against police harassment and the authorities’ lack of concern,
His actions triggered nationwide protests and calls for an end of the authoritarian rule of Pres Zine El Abidine Ben Ali…
And then all hell broke loose… protests continued in Tunisia… the president fled to Saudi Arabia….
But the flame had been lit and the fire was spreading throughout the middle east, many converging on Egypt
Egyptian activists called for a mass rally in a “Day of Anger” on Jan 25, 2011, set to coincide with the annual celebration of the Egyptian police, and the people took to the streets for unprecedented protests in Cairo as the city came to standstill….
