For Peter Hessler’s report from the Egyptian revolution in this week’s magazine, the photographer Kim Badawi focussed his attention on the Omar Makram mosque in Tahrir Square. Badawi, who is of Egyptian, French, and Slovenian ancestry, moved to Cairo earlier this year. Living in his grandparents’ apartment with a direct view of the square, Badawi has witnessed not only the tanks and tear gas but also quieter moments that speak just as clearly about the protesters’ perseverance. Here Badawi shares his photographs and thoughts.
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“Life in Tahrir seemed to move to the beat of its own drum, as if it ran independently from the rest of the city. All day and night, people living around the square were rushing to their windows or balconies to see the latest uproar. The chants and noise were endless. As large groups of protesters poured into the square the sound would intensify like a wave crashing on the beach. Led by charismatic youth often propped up on a protester’s shoulders, these new arrivals were welcomed by even larger crowds echoing their words until they merged into one sea of people inside of the square.”
