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Protests begin abruptly
A large-scale march of protest takes place in the city of Cairo. Later in the day, protestors fought with police forces in the streets without warning. Police used tear gas and water cannons on the civilians. The demonstrators chant "Down with Mubarak." The death toll once the day has drawn to a close is four: three protestors and one policeman. -
Mohamed ElBaradai arrives in Egypt
Egyptian democracy proponent Mohamed ElBaradei came to Egypt in order to help lead the protestors against the Mubarak regime. ElBaradei, formerly of the U.N., confirmed that he was willing to lead Egyptians against the Mubarak regime. -
Facebook and Twitter service disrupted
In answer to the protests that have erupted across the nation, services for Facebook, Twitter, and Blackberry Messenger are compromised. It is widely believed that these services were instrumental in organizing protests and demonstrations at this point as well as throughout the entire revolution. -
Internet and cell phone coverage disruption
Widespread disruption of both internet and cell phone service is reported in Egypt. This was a controversial method of affecting the protestors' ability to organize, plan, and assemble across Egypt. -
Bloody conflict in Suez
170 Egyptians are injured and eleven killed during one day's fighting in Suez. This was the first day of true combat between demonstrators and police forces in the city. Suez was the site of some of the worst skirmishes and fighting of the revolution. -
Troops are introduced
The government, for the first time since the protests began, ordered the armed forces to the streets. The troops were sent to Cairo, Suez, and Alexandria, cities that had already stood out as important in the conflict and would retain that status throughout the revolution. The troops never interfered with the fighting between police forces and protestors on this first day, however. -
Mubarak dismisses cabinet
During the night, Mubarak made a speech stating he has sacked the entire Egyptian cabinet. The move was meant to appease the enraged protestors, but as Mubarak added that he would be unwilling to step down from the presidency, he left most demonstrators frustrated. His current location was unknown to the public. -
Mubarak announces he will not run again
Mubarak announced he would not run for re-election in the September presidential elections, an important step for world leaders in the process of forcing the dictator out of power. But anti-Mubarak demonstrators in Egypt were left unsatisfied. They wanted Mubarak to step down from power immediately, not make this promise that many probably felt they could not even trust him to keep. Once again Mubarak had failed to calm protestors. Mohamed ElBaradei claimed the statement could be a lie. -
More clashes in Tahrir Square
As the number of protestors camped out in Tahrir Square exceeded one million, violent confrontations between the pro-Mubarak and the pro-democracy Egyptians continued. Tanks held positions around the square as the army maintained a constant, watchful presence on the periphery. Tahrir Square, at the center of Cairo, served as the focal point of the revolution and as the epicenter of the resistance to the dictatorship of Mubarak continuously. -
Differing death tolls reported
After 11 days of fighting, death tolls announced by various sources are vastly different from each other. The number of confirmed deaths was at 150 people according to news reports. The Egyptian health ministers reported at the same time that just 11 people had been killed during the fighting in the Egyptian revolution. The U.N. estimated 300 as the death toll at this point. -
Omar Suleiman makes announcements
Egyptian vice president Omar Suleiman made an important set of statements on February 8. In the first announcement, Suleiman told the public that the government would struggle to contend with the revolution for an extended period of time. Later, he announced the government's plans for new committees that would oversee new legislation and Egyptian constitutional reform. -
Mubarak steps down
At about 16:00 GMT, Hosni Mubarak resigned from the Egyptian presidency. Power was transferred to the Egyptian army. The announcement came after immense pressure on Mubarak internationally as well as from continuing demonstrations across Egypt, including tens of thousands marching in the streets earlier that very day.
