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Many in Youngstown revel in Mubarak's exit
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Demonstrators from the Arab American Cultural and Education Center gather at the Thomas Lambros Federal Courthouse in downtown Youngstown to celebrate Hosni Mubarak’s resignation as president of Egypt.
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Amal Ilain of Youngstown was one of about 40 demonstrators who celebrated Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation Friday in downtown Youngstown. The banner read, “Egyptians Deserve Democracy.”
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Salam Elwanni of Youngstown holds a sign referring to the recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and speculating on which country could protest for its freedom next. She was among about 40 demonstrators celebrating the departure of Hosni Mubarak as Egypt’s president at a downtown Youngstown rally Friday in front of the Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on Market Street. In the background is the Mahoning County Courthouse.
Many in Youngstown revel in Mubarak’s exit
By Karl Henkel
YOUNGSTOWN
Khaled Abdelnadi called it the happiest day of his life.
The 28-year-old from Youngstown, who moved to the U.S. from Egypt in 2005, said the fall of Egypt’s president, Hosni Mubarak, made him “feel reborn again.”
“I’m happier than on my marriage day,” Abdelnadi said.
With the news of Mubarak’s resignation as president of Egypt after three decades, 18 days of intense, heartfelt anger quickly turned into joyous celebration for Mahoning County Egyptians, who basked in Egypt’s newfound freedom at a rally outside the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 125 Market St.
Abdelnadi said Egyptians will remember Friday — along with Jan. 25, when the revolution started — as holidays.
“It’s going to be a bright future, a much nicer future,” he said. “From now on, people choose the president. No more 30 years of reign.”
Abdelnadi, along with approximately 40 others, stood outside, some holding banners and signs, one of which depicted five consecutive pictures of Mubarak underneath pictures of the last five U.S. presidents.
“We’ve had only one leader since [Ronald] Reagan,” said Walid Elshalabi, 36, of Boardman. “And we just celebrated what would have been his 100th birthday.”
Other signs read “Mubarak of Egypt = Corrupt” and “Egyptians Deserve Democracy” less than a day after Mubarak’s shocking speech, when he told more than 3 million at Tahrir Square in Cairo that he would not step down until his term ends in September.
That infuriated many, including Abdelnadi, who said he couldn’t believe his ears at yesterday’s news.
“My blood pressure went up to 180/120, and it was like that the whole day,” he said.
But today, the focus was on the Egyptian people and their victory over Mubarak.
Word of his resignation came down Friday from Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman, a move Abdelnadi called cowardly.
“If he had any courage, he would have said it himself,” he said. People from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and the Palestinian Territories all participated in the local rally, including 65-year-old Amal Ilain, a Youngstown resident originally from the Palestinian territories.
“I’m very happy because I want the Egyptian people to be happy,” Ilain said. “It’s solidarity. We’re all one nation, under God.
“First Tunisia, now Egypt. Who’s going to be next?”
Ilain said throughout the 18-day ordeal, she always anticipated the people of Egypt winning in the end.
“I was expecting it because of the will of the people. The people have strong determination,” she said. “The game is over.”