before 2011, protests were common, but they were always local; they did not spread to different parts of the country. however, on january 25, 2011, major protests and riots broke out all over the country. january 25 became the "day of anger". egyptian opposition groups (groups working for change) and other activists had picked this date for a major demonstration. the 2011 protests have been called "unprecedented" for egypt. this means that nothing like the protests had ever happened before. the protests have also been called "the largest display of popular dissatisfaction in recent memory". these were the largest demonstrations seen in egypt since the 1977 egyptian bread riots. for the first time, egyptians from different social backgrounds, economic backgrounds, and faiths joined together to protest.