Egyptian online democracy activists are calling for a demonstration on February 22 to demand the removal of the country’s interim government, saying it contains too many old faces. The “Tuesday of Challenge” march aims to rally a million followers to keep up pressure on the army-led administration, in an echo of the massive demonstrations that forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down on February 11. “Our slogan from day one has been ‘The people want the overthrow of the regime’,” one Facebook page said. “We are going back to Tahrir (Liberation) Square and we will stay there. The higher (military) council has left Mubarak’s government to do what it wants.”
Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading opposition figure, expressed support for continued protests and condemned what he called “cosmetic change” in government as an “insult to the revolution.” “Continued mass, peaceful protests and the formation of a party, including those who launched the revolution, are our way to complete the journey of change,” he wrote on his Twitter page. “The regime will not be reformed from within the regime,” he added. The cabinet spokesman said Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq was still consulting on new ministers. Most of the cabinet was appointed by Mubarak and the Facebook group said it wanted a government of technocrats.