An Incomplete List of the Best Protest Slogans and Revolutionary Catchphrases of 2011.الشعب يريد اسقاط النظام/Asha’ab yurīd isqāt anizām  “The people want the fall of the regime” and it’s variations (The people want the fall of the Makhzen (ruling elite in Morocco), or the Field Marshal) is probably the most classic and well-known of all the chants. Its simplicity and versatility and its place in 2011’s incredible politics make it the shoo-in for first place on this list We are the 99% This has been an inescapable slogan, and has resonated very powerfully with people’s experiences of economic injustice around the world, becoming a rallying cry and a point of unification for Occupiers. ارحل/Irhal! The command, Leave!, is directed at despots, from Ali Abdullah Saleh to Field Marshal Tantawi. Another versatile protest chant that has been heard in revolutionary music, painted on faces and walls and shouted in the streets countless times over thecourse of 2011. يمكنك ان تدهس الورود، لكنك لا تستطيع ان تؤخر الربيع “You can trample the roses but you cannot delay the spring” hardly has the ubiquity of “Asha’ab yurīd isqāt anizzām,” but happens to be one of my personal favorites. Strike like an Egyptian. An expression of admiration and solidarity, playing on “Walk like an Egyptian,” acknowledging the incredible influence of the North African revolutions. The people are too big to fail. The play on the famous phrase said about banks captures perfectly the intentions of the Occupiers and the potency of the Occupy movement.  كن مع الثورة/Kun ma’ athawra A beautiful sentiment: be with the revolution. Based on the saying “Be with Allah.” We are the power! One of the more popular ones heard in recent Russian protests against Putin’s governance and rigged parliamentary elections. هو يمشي مش هنمشي/”Huwa yimshī mish hanimshī.”  This very catchy phrase, in Egyptian dialect, means “he will leave and we will not!” Extras: Watch the teaser clip of director Stephen Savona’s documentary “Tahrir,” featuring footage of Egyptian protest chants. And watch Egyptian singer Ramy Essam perform his song “Irhal,” featuring a number of popular chants. (Thanks to @ArabRevRap for input on this post!) AFP/Getty photo via. Any slogans in particular that you felt were amazing or influential in global protests this year?
An Incomplete List of the Best Protest Slogans and Revolutionary Catchphrases of 2011.
  • الشعب يريد اسقاط النظام/Asha’ab yurīd isqāt anizām 

“The people want the fall of the regime” and it’s variations (The people want the fall of the Makhzen (ruling elite in Morocco), or the Field Marshal) is probably the most classic and well-known of all the chants. Its simplicity and versatility and its place in 2011’s incredible politics make it the shoo-in for first place on this list

  • We are the 99%

This has been an inescapable slogan, and has resonated very powerfully with people’s experiences of economic injustice around the world, becoming a rallying cry and a point of unification for Occupiers.

  • ارحل/Irhal!

The command, Leave!, is directed at despots, from Ali Abdullah Saleh to Field Marshal Tantawi. Another versatile protest chant that has been heard in revolutionary music, painted on faces and walls and shouted in the streets countless times over thecourse of 2011.

  • يمكنك ان تدهس الورود، لكنك لا تستطيع ان تؤخر الربيع

“You can trample the roses but you cannot delay the spring” hardly has the ubiquity of “Asha’ab yurīd isqāt anizzām,” but happens to be one of my personal favorites.

  • Strike like an Egyptian.

An expression of admiration and solidarity, playing on “Walk like an Egyptian,” acknowledging the incredible influence of the North African revolutions.

  • The people are too big to fail.

The play on the famous phrase said about banks captures perfectly the intentions of the Occupiers and the potency of the Occupy movement. 

  • كن مع الثورة/Kun ma’ athawra

A beautiful sentiment: be with the revolution. Based on the saying “Be with Allah.”

  • We are the power!

One of the more popular ones heard in recent Russian protests against Putin’s governance and rigged parliamentary elections.

  • هو يمشي مش هنمشي/”Huwa yimshī mish hanimshī.” 

This very catchy phrase, in Egyptian dialect, means “he will leave and we will not!”

Extras: Watch the teaser clip of director Stephen Savona’s documentary “Tahrir,” featuring footage of Egyptian protest chants. And watch Egyptian singer Ramy Essam perform his song “Irhal,” featuring a number of popular chants.

(Thanks to @ArabRevRap for input on this post!)

AFP/Getty photo via.

Any slogans in particular that you felt were amazing or influential in global protests this year?

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  16. andcovello answered: props for untranslated arabic :]
  17. putihpink answered: hai. i dunno how am i supposed to answer this. sorry.
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    “Asha’ab yurīd isqāt anizzām,”
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  22. nowordnoii answered: “They do not represent us!!!” - This has been and still is the main message to politicians and the 1% in Spain’s 15m movement.
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