Hundreds gather in Cambridge and march to Boston in support of Egyptian protesters

Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

Ahmed Rashed (left) and his wife Shaimaa Badr (right) marched with protesters against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's regime down Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge.

By Matt Byrne, Globe Correspondent

Hundreds of people gathered in Harvard Square this afternoon then marched into Boston in support of the Egyptian people and their efforts to topple the government there.

Organized largely online, the protest drew about 200 people who brought signs, banners, and bull horns. Like the protests in Egypt, the messages were strongly against President Hosni Mubarak.

The demonstration was peaceful as about a half dozen officers from Boston and Cambridge looked on. Horns from passing cars beeped in approval, with one driver attaching an Egyptian flag to his gold minivan.

Many who gathered were Egyptian-American or of Egyptian descent, and they expressed dismay at the reports of chaos that have trickled out of the country, worrying for family members who are there.

While some have begun  to look toward the United States government for a response, other protesters were critical of this country's support of Mubarak.

"There will be mistrust of anything that the American government does because they've been such strong supporters of Mubarak," said Liz Ismail, who marched with her husband, Massar. "I'm not sure the government here should get involved." 

One Egyptian-American, who asked that her name be withheld, said that middle-class anger has swelled with unemployment and inflation.

"It's an important moment in the history of the country," said the woman, who stood with her husband and 5-month-old son. "The last election was such a sham.

"You can't live a fairly decent life without being rich," she said.