Thousands protest against SCAF, Mubarak-era candidates

Hundreds of Thousands of Egyptians packed into Cairo\'s Tahrir Square on Friday \"Don\'t be afraid and say it, the SCAF must leave\" and \"Tantawi tell [Sami] Anan, the revolution is still in the square,\" were some of the slogans chanted by protesters as they gathered once again in Cairo\'s iconic Tahrir Square on Friday. 
Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Cairo\'s Tahrir Square on Friday for the planned \"Self-Determination\" Friday million-man demonstration against the ruling military and presidential candidates who served under ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.
Activsits also recalled the ousted leader: \"Mubarak is still ruling; Down with Mubarak.\"
Islamic slogans were reportedly competing with revolutionary ones, as supporters of barred presidential candidate Hazem Abu-Ismail stage and other segments of Tahrir\'s Islamist contingent call for an Islamic revolution.
Supporters of Salafist Abu Ismail we reportedly chanting \"Egypt will be an Islamic state, despite what the Zionists want.\"
Following Friday prayers led by revolutionary preacher Sheikh Mazhar Shaheen, demonstrators performed additional prayers for the \"martyrs of the revolution\". As prayers draw to a close, protesters chant in unison \"Down, down with military rule.\"
Marches are also set to kick-off from Mustafa Mahmoud Mosque, Giza Square, Cairo University and Shobra.
\"We\'re very optimistic that today\'s protest will be successful,\" Agha said. \"We\'re coming to the square today to show Egypt\'s ruling military council that we\'re still here; we\'re still in the streets; and that the revolution continues. Our grievances have yet to be addressed, so our coalition has come together today to show that we will keep fighting until our demands are met.\"
Activists are also calling for the abrogation of Article 28 of the constitutional declaration (issued in March of last year and approved via popular referendum), which stipulates that any decision issued by Egypt\'s Supreme Presidential Elections Commission is final and cannot be appealed. Agha said that activists are also demanding justice for the more than 70 victims of February\'s Port Said Stadium disaster, and that Egypt\'s parliament be \"more representative\" of the Egyptian people.
Salafist flags – solid black or green - emblazoned with the Islamic creed \"There is no god but God, and Mohamed is the messenger of God\" were in abundance in Cthe square, along with posters of bearing the image of Abu Ismail.
Salafist and Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators have come out in force all over the country. Brotherhood members and supporters openly tell of their journeys from Tanta, Ismailiya and other cities and governorates across Egypt.
Over 30 political groups and parties from Islamist, liberal and leftist forces in the country have already announced their plans to participate in the upcoming mass protests in Tahrir Square as well across the country in what many hope could be the start of a new national consensus on the direction of Egypt post-Mubarak.
The demands of liberal and leftist powers and movements included issuing the \"Disfranchisement Law\" barring former regime figures from top political jobs, as well as holding former regime icons accountable, ending emergency law, cancelling Article 28 of the March 2011 Constitutional Declaration that governs the upcoming presidential elections, and forming a Constituent Assembly to write the constitution that would represent all sectors of Egyptian society.
Liberal groups called for the rally before the committee overseeing the election in May last week barred Mubarak\'s vice president and spy chief Omar Suleiman from standing, along with two leading Islamist candidates.
Islamists, who swept parliamentary elections after Mubarak\'s overthrow last year, held a rally with similar demands in the iconic square last week avoided by many liberal groups, highlighting rifts since the uprising.
But the powerful Muslim Brotherhood, whose political arm dominates both houses of parliament, said it would throw its weight behind Friday\'s rally, after its candidate Khairet El-Shater was disqualified.
Suleiman was barred because he did not gather enough endorsements from across the country, as the election law requires.
The military has promised to hand over power to a civilian president after the election results are announced in June, but its critics accuse it of angling to stay in power through a proxy leader.
Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force chief who served as Mubarak\'s prime minister, is still in the race, along with Amr Mussa, a former foreign minister under Mubarak and Arab League chief.
The Brotherhood is fielding the leader Mohamed Morsi of its political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, after the election committee disqualified Shater because of a military court conviction during the Mubarak era.