As protests in Egypt’s Tahrir Square continue late into the night over President Mohamed Morsi’s declaration of dictator-like powers, protesters and sympathizers are wondering if Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood have cut off Internet and cellphone access as part of Morsi’s power grab.
They cut off the internet on #Tahrir, tomorrow they will cut it off from the whole country #Morsi = #Mubarak
— MM (@MinaShaq) November 23, 2012
https://twitter.com/jadaliyya/status/272044030551003136
Photos from the scene show thousands gathered in Tahrir with no sign of dispersing, despite reports of tear gas being fired into the crowd.
#Tahrir square right now, 1000s still here, clashes still going. This will go on all night #egypt http://t.co/cmfmjXtv
— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) November 23, 2012
Egypt has shut down access to social networks before. Under former president Hosni Mubarak, the government had blocked access to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube in January of 2011 — a development no one is anxious to see again.
No internet in #Tahrir , doesn't this remind you of something?
— Missbehave (@Asmaessam) November 23, 2012
Has Morsi Pulled a Mubarak and Cut the Internet Off Tahrir Square? http://t.co/wUWKV1Tf via @globalvoices
— Amira Al Hussaini (@JustAmira) November 23, 2012
People in Tahrir are tweeting that internet has been cut off, tear gas everywhere. Confirmation?
— Dalia Ezzat (@DaliaEzzat_) November 23, 2012
Rumours of NO internet connection in #tahrir square!! No wonder why we are not getting any tweets from #tahrir ..
— AW (@AliaWassef) November 23, 2012
No mobile network or internet coverage in #Tahrir.It's the real beginning of our revolution #Egypt. #Morsi it's ur end
— Nadine? #BLM ✊?✊?✊?✊?✊? (@nadineistyping) November 23, 2012
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@VodafoneEgypt why is there no Internet in Tahrir square?
— Mohamed Imam (@Mohamed_Imam_) November 23, 2012
@mostafakhaled also confirms intended disconnection of telecommunication and internet from #Tahrir square's area. #Egypt
— Nour Haridy (@NourHaridy) November 23, 2012
Others, though, are calling the claims a false alarm and citing overloaded networks.
Reports not true RT @maegdi: reports of cutting internet and mobile phone coverage in Tahrir area .. is Mubarak back?
— Elijah Zarwan (@elijahzarwan) November 23, 2012
Some twitter users located in Tahrir report their internet access is fine.
— Jadaliyya (@jadaliyya) November 23, 2012
Very hard to tweet today for some reason. Almost no network. Likely because so many people are tweeting from the march. #Tahrir
— Bassem Sabry باسم (@Bassem_Sabry) November 23, 2012
https://twitter.com/JacoStoop/status/272022981222481920
https://twitter.com/SlipknotMody/status/272045137037754368
. @VodafoneEgypt says people in #Tahrir experiencing slowness in mobile Internet service due to high volumes of users. #Egypt #Nov23 #jan25
— Mahmoud (@moodeey) November 23, 2012
https://twitter.com/mostafakhaled/status/272102910387712001
Stop spreading rumors about cutting off the mobile network in #Tahrir. It's just a 3G overload.
— Mohamed Abd El-Hamid (@MohAbdElHamid) November 23, 2012
Internet working well.#Tahrir
— Karim El Hayawan (@KarimElHayawan) November 23, 2012
As we all know, social networks can spread misinformation just as quickly as the truth. Is it possible that rumors of an Internet crackdown are disguising an ulterior motive? Some are encouraging residents in the area to turn off the security on their home Wifi networks to help protesters communicate. Could the reports be a large “phishing” attempt?
All who live in #Tahrir please remove the passwords on your WiFi to help the protesters reach us. They cut out their network.
— Sylvia à la maison. (@iSeevaa) November 23, 2012
mobile internet access blocked in #tahrir
open up your wireless
remove passwords— El Sult (@ElSult) November 23, 2012
They cut off Internet from Protesters in #Tahrir urgent cry if u live in Tahrir or west elbalad please turn on wireless & remove password
— MM (@MinaShaq) November 23, 2012
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