A little after 6:30 p.m., President Obama spoke at the White House about the protests in Egypt. “I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors,” said Obama. “The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere.”

The president also urged the protesters to demonstrate peacefully and called on Mubarak to take “concrete steps” toward introducing democratic reforms.