Timeline Saturday 26 January 1952

Events on Saturday 26 January 1952 1

• 1952 Cairo Fire (Black Saturday) Riots destroy central Cairo's colonial-era buildings On 26 January 1952, rioters burned hundreds of buildings in central Cairo associated with foreign and upper-class interests, including hotels, cinemas and department stores. The unrest followed anger at British troops and the monarchy. It preceded the Free Officers' coup by six months and exposed the instability of Farouk's government.