The Arab Spring demonstrated the power of revolutionary politics, news organisations and social media – with the Guardian at the heart of events
Jack Shenker
guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 July 2011
"Amid the tear gas, bullets and petrol bombs unleashed by the Mubarak regime as Egypt's discredited government tried desperately to cling to power, many pro-change protesters approached international journalists in the streets and asked simply: "Does the world know what's happening?".
Their fear – that the bravery of the Egyptian people in taking on a Western-backed dictatorship, the violence meted out to them by the state, and the hundreds of deaths which resulted might all go unreported in the global media – was understandable. At the height of the uprising virtually all communications were cut by the authorities as major cities descended into war-zones, leaving Egyptians isolated from even their own neighbours – never mind the rest of the planet.
But the world did know what was happening, thanks in no small part to the Guardian's unwavering commitment to the story despite the most challenging of circumstances. As the only British newspaper to have had a correspondent permanently based in Cairo in the years leading up to the revolution, the Guardian was in pole position to seek out the nuances of Egypt's seismic upheaval and its team of reporters on the ground – who suffered arrests, detainments and beatings for their efforts – covered every aspect of the revolt as it happened, through written pieces, photos, videos and live audio that was relayed to millions beyond the country's borders....."
Jack Shenker
guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 July 2011
"Amid the tear gas, bullets and petrol bombs unleashed by the Mubarak regime as Egypt's discredited government tried desperately to cling to power, many pro-change protesters approached international journalists in the streets and asked simply: "Does the world know what's happening?".
Their fear – that the bravery of the Egyptian people in taking on a Western-backed dictatorship, the violence meted out to them by the state, and the hundreds of deaths which resulted might all go unreported in the global media – was understandable. At the height of the uprising virtually all communications were cut by the authorities as major cities descended into war-zones, leaving Egyptians isolated from even their own neighbours – never mind the rest of the planet.
But the world did know what was happening, thanks in no small part to the Guardian's unwavering commitment to the story despite the most challenging of circumstances. As the only British newspaper to have had a correspondent permanently based in Cairo in the years leading up to the revolution, the Guardian was in pole position to seek out the nuances of Egypt's seismic upheaval and its team of reporters on the ground – who suffered arrests, detainments and beatings for their efforts – covered every aspect of the revolt as it happened, through written pieces, photos, videos and live audio that was relayed to millions beyond the country's borders....."
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