The Coalition of Egypt's Revolutionaries announced Wednesday it would participate in a protest planned for Friday, but would not stage a march or sit-in.
Another activist group, the Revolution Youth Union, called Monday for the protest after the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) announced it would broaden the Emergency Law.
Opposition figures criticized the SCAF for what they described as weak performance in running the country during the interim period. They also accused it of following steps taken by ousted President Hosni Mubarak in imposing a media crackdown and banning peaceful protesting.
In a statement, the Coalition of Egypt's Revolutionaries said enforcing the Emergency Law is unreasonable and it will not allow anyone to turn Egypt backward.
It also blamed the security failure on police, whom it accused of releasing criminals on 28 January and being reluctant to arrest so-called "thugs."
“The ruling council has announced many times it is a partner in the revolution, however, it doesn’t represent it. It should consult its partners before sending us back to the Dark Ages,” said Amer al-Wakil, the coalition spokesperson.
Participants in the "No to Emergency" Friday will demand that parliamentary elections are held sooner than planned, Wakil said.
“We will set our political demands aside and only shout slogans of the 'Friday for Correcting the Path,' including ending military trials and judiciary independence."
