Mohamed Mahmoud graffiti

Mohamed Mahmoud Graffiti refers to a collection of graffiti work that was painted on several walls in the area surrounding Mohamed Mahmoud street near Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt.

Following the outbreak of the Egyptian revolution or The 25 January Revolution 2011, several protest took place in Egypt the following year, the climax of which was always around Tahrir Square. During 19 to 24 November 2011, protest took place around Mohamed Mahmoud area reacting to the Egyptian police and Central Security Forces brutally attacking some peaceful protesters near that area on 19 November.

Areas that bared such graffiti included the walls of The American University in Cairo (AUC), and some buildings and schools surrounding it, in addition to the concrete wall (barrier) that was installed later in Mohamed Mahmoud street, to stop the protesters from advancing to the Ministry of Interior building.

"The No Wall" initiative

"The No Wall" initiative was launched in mid March 2011. The initiative compelled artists to paint murals (graffiti) on concrete blocks that authorities installed in the main streets leading to the Interior Ministry and the headquarters of the Egyptian Parliament. Under this slogan concrete blocks were painted so that the beholder would view the street as if it is still open and in the middle of a scene, some the security forces attacking protesters were illustrated.

Classifications of graffiti

Graffiti included many slogans of the Egyptian revolution and its most important celebrities, whether they are heroes such as Sambo, Mina Daniel, Ahmed Harara and Sheikh Imad Effat, or who the artist considered its enemies such as Field Marshal Tantawi and Lieutenant Mahmoud Shinawi..

Later on, images of martyrs of the revolution in successive pictures were added, including some new faces of the Ultras Ahly who formed the majority of the victims of the Port Said Stadium massacre. Graffiti also included slogans demanding the handover of power to civilians and end of the military rule. Some graffiti represented clashes with Copts in front of the TV building in Maspero in October 2011; the so called Maspero Massacre.

On the wall of the American University, the rise of martyrs to paradise graffiti was inspired by the painting styles of the ancient Egyptians, reminiscent of the style of paintings recorded on the walls of Pharaonic funerary temples.

Removal of graffiti

The provincial department of Cairo has removed these murals several times, as happened on May 21 and September 18, 2012. It is also reported that the Central Security Forces (CSF) and the management of the American University participated in such efforts. An initiative was taken earlier by the American University to preserve the murals. Some of this graffiti remain documented and even published, owing to the efforts of several admirers of Mohamed Mahmoud graffiti, who collected some photographs taken by visitors of that area during the given time.