Khaled Salah Recalls January Revolution’s Hopes and Fears in Defence of Its Values

Khaled Salah has reflected on the contrast between the hope inspired by Egypt’s January revolution and his fear for the state as unrest engulfed prisons and police stations.

In a personal account framed as a defence of the revolution’s noble values, Salah recalled the enthusiasm surrounding the slogans raised on January 25. The prospect of change, he wrote, filled hearts with excitement, joy and anticipation for the future.

That optimism was accompanied by a deep sense of alarm after January 28. Salah described trembling with fear for the foundations of the state on the night unidentified outsiders stormed Egyptian prisons and police stations in Cairo and other governorates.

His recollection draws a distinction between the aspirations expressed at the start of the revolution and the events that subsequently left him fearful. He did not identify those responsible for the incursions in the excerpt.

The account places those conflicting emotions side by side: belief in the promise of change and anxiety over the security of state institutions. Salah presents his memories as part of an effort to defend the values that first inspired the uprising.