Masmou3: Noise as dissent

Rana Muhammad Taha
4 Min Read
Screen grab from the simple instruction video that shows that all that is needed is a pot and wooden spoon, Screen grab from Masmou3 video
Screen grab from the simple instruction video that shows that all that is needed is a pot and wooden spoon, Screen grab from Masmou3 video
Screen grab from the simple instruction video that shows that all that is needed is a pot and wooden spoon, Screen grab from Masmou3 video

A new campaign calls on those who are against both the Mulsim Brotherhood and the military-backed regime to bang on a pot from their window. Masmou3 ([you are] heard) has a very simple message; if you do not agree with either the practices of the Muslim Brotherhood or of those of the military-backed regime currently ruling the country, stand in your window every night at 9pm and bang on a pot for five minutes.

Launched on Saturday night through a twitter account, handle: @masmou3, the campaign has already collected 359 followers at time of print.

Alam Wassef, one of the supporters of the campaign, said it is not important for the campaign itself to grow; the goal is for the idea that the campaign offers to prosper. That idea is that one can express their disagreement with the Muslim Brotherhood without automatically supporting the military-backed regime.

“We completely oppose the Muslim Brotherhood’s rule and practices,” Wassef said. “But we also completely oppose the weird practices committed by the military regime. We believe the regime is committing grave mistakes which might drag us into a civil war or cause the complete collapse of our economy.”

The idea of banging on a pot to express dissent is not a novel one, Wassef said. He added that opponents of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan did the same thing to express their rejection to his regime.

“The reason we resorted to this idea now, instead of protesting our dissent for instance, is the night curfew forced upon us,” Wassef said. He stated that the curfew prevents the campaign supporters from taking to the streets to demonstrate for their ideas. “You’re trapped in your home, incapable of using the public sphere to express your opinion,” he added.

Wassef said that the presence of neighbourhood watches all over the streets, mostly supporting the military and its regime, would subject such a protest to possible civil assault.

“Also, the curfew leaves Cairo’s streets too quiet and empty,” Wassef noted, a matter he said is a temptation to make some noise as a mechanism of getting one’s message across.

The campaign calls on its followers to spread the word by tweeting “Follow @masmou3” to help the campaign grow. “Say No to the Muslim Brotherhood and No to a fascist military state,” the campaign thus urges its followers.

In less than 24 hours, the campaign collected over 300 followers and its video promoting banging on pots attracted 700 viewers.

If its momentum grows with the same speed do not be alarmed when you hear loud noises coming out of neighbouring windows at 9pm one of these nights.

 

 

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