From the Sacred to the Profane: How the Army Shattered the Public Space in Arab Spring Cities (the Case of Tahrir Square)

Abstract

The study provides a critical narrative of the role of the Supreme Council of Armed Forces in Egypt in distorting the symbolism of Tahrir square post January 25, 2011. It sheds light on the societal understanding of the value of public spaces and their importance in facilitating the revolutionary movements that consolidated the Egyptian 2011 revolution. The study relies on a collection of scenes documented in the square throughout the five years that followed the historic moment of Mubarak’s demise and the transfer of authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. These scenes, embodying the contradictory movements witnessed in Egypt within a short time frame, have impacted the physical formation of the square as a public space, and distorted its image in the minds and consciousness of Egyptians.