What's Next for Egypt?

It's safe to say that only a few of us might have seen this happening.

The sheer number of Egyptians who took to the streets and squares today in the scorching heat, and not even on a weekend even as usual for such protests, was the largest single protest in Egyptian history. There is absolutely no doubt about it.

As I marched from the journalists’ syndicate toward Tahrir Square, it had already been packed for at least a couple of hours. I stood outside to see hundreds going in and out each minute, while several large-scale marches either stood outside and around the square, or decided to move instead toward the Ettihadeyya presidential palace as the alternative.

Around the square, the number was perhaps even larger than that inside. When I finally made my way inside, the mood was as defiant as it was jubilant and certain. There were Nasser, Gandhi and Mandela quotes on leaflets and signs, even a couple of Ahinsa/Ahimsa symbols with revolutionary writings on them, in addition to religious and traditional quotes as well the famous displays of the Quran and Cross together in unity and Christians guarding praying Muslims. What is even more remarkable is that this historic and record outpour of people happened without any real mobilization mechanism, unlike the Brotherhood and Islamists who are known to be capable of almost literally moving each member at will. It was a spontaneous outburst that showed a vast diversity of Egyptians. In fact, it largely transcended the revolutionary movement itself and appears to have had very little to do with the opposition’s calls or shaky direct mobilization.