SEATTLE - A crowd of about 300 gathered at Seattle's West Lake plaza Saturday afternoon in a show of solidarity with Egyptian protesters.
Anti-government protesters in Egypt are demanding economic and political change. Tens of thousands of people filling the streets of Cairo and other cities are calling for President Hosni Mubarak to resign after nearly 30 years in power.
In Seattle, tears filled Usama Baioumy 's eyes when the crowd sang his homeland's anthem. Egypt is in his heart, and in his children's blood.
"I talked to my kids yesterday... this is the way you can stand up for the right thing, whatever it is... This is our jihad: to stand against a tyrant," said Baioumy.
Now, concerns over the violence Egypt is also keeping this Snohomish family up at night. Baioumy says they've hardly slept in three days. He talked to his mother in Cairo on Saturday morning.
"She was crying, she was crying, she was scared. My sister was scared. They were hearing a gun shoot around them," said Baioumy.
The rally in downtown Seattle provided on outlet for hundreds like the Baioumy family. It gave them a place to stand with those who share the same concern over the violence, and share the same demands for change.
Rally co-organizer Alaa Badr listed those demands in a speech - " ...legitimate democracy, free speech, true opposition, accurate representation... the right to a fair trial."
After the speech, Mohamed Souaiaia grabbed a bullhorn and beamed with pride. The protests sweeping parts of the Arab world began in his native Tunisia weeks ago. Souaiaia calls it a revolution of dignity, that's now violated and exported for the whole world to see.
"I feel it's just scary to see people getting hit by bullets, tear gas. I saw a picture of a people standing by a truck with those water hoses," said 10-year-old Nour Ayad.
But those images also spark a feeling of pride in the boy's heart, pride in his heritage, and hope for his Egypt's future.
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