TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

The democratically elected President of Egypt stood before the world, behind bars in a cage – his crime that he had ‘incited’ the murder of demonstrators.

If those who had orchestrated the coup to oust Mohamed Morsi from power expected him to cower they were to be disappointed.

Morsi is not the monster that was the military dictator Hosni Mubarak, the former leader who now lives in virtual freedom after the military apparatus he left behind orchestrated demonstrations, and committed mass murder against their own people.

If this is not a coup, then what is the Egyptian military doing on Tahrir Square?

And what is Morsi standing trial for?

The Muslim Brotherhood have shown they will not accept the actions of the Egyptian military who were backed by a noisy well-heeled elite who were furious at the prospect of losing their privileges to the poor who make the majority of the country.

They have also shown that despite the considerable risk of being killed they are prepared to stand up for a principle – namely that if you don’t agree with a government, wait for the next election and vote them out.