Strike call marks Mubarak birthday

The online group, which has attracted around 75,000 members, called on Egyptians to do what they can to protest.

 

“Wear black clothes … or stay at home if you can … hang a black flag next to an Egyptian flag outside your house … don’t buy anything on the day … boycott state-owned papers,” the Facebook page urged.

Relaxed atmosphere

 

Al Jazeera’s Amr El-Kahky, reporting from Cairo, said that the atmosphere is quite relaxed despite the call for protests.

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“We also heard claims by some civil servants that there were memorandums being circulated into government offices threatening disciplinary action against those who chose to stay at home today,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Muslim Brotherhood, the main opposition group in Egypt, supported the day of protest.
  
“The Muslim Brotherhood declares its endorsement of the call to stay at home next May 4, with the exception of those working in medical and public service institutions, and those who have exams in any educational institution,” the group said in a statement.
  
Mahalla disturbances

 

On April 6, a day of nationwide action was called, resulting in riots erupting in the Nile Delta industrial city of Mahalla, where three people had died and hundreds were detained after demonstrators pulled down posters of Mubarak.
  
Esraa Abdel Fattah, 27, who created a Facebook group calling for the April 6 strike, was arrested and jailed for three weeks for “inciting unrest”.

In recent months, a number of strikes and protests have occurred in Egypt against low salaries and price rises.

 

The rising public anger is considered one of the most serious challenges to Mubarak government.