Bernard O' Kane has spent thirty years in Cairo, lecturing in Islamic architecture at the American University there.

However, he has never seen scenes like he witnessed in Tarfir Square, eight miles from his home, over the past few days.

And he never expected to be a vigilante.

For the last few nights he has taken part in a neighborhood watch in his suburbs, making sure that the looters stay away.
"Maybe when they hear my Belfast accent they'll be afraid I'd kneecap them" he jokes

The Belfast native is seeing first hand what a revolution looks like and he will never forget what he has witnessed as he told me by phone from Cairo.

Yesterday morning he took the metro to the protests.

" I was so impressed by the crowds yesterday" he said referring to the massive demonstration. "It was extremely relaxed, friendly, lots of people giving speeches, but a fun atmosphere."

"I was so impressed by the army management of the crowd, they were frisking everyone on the way in and stopping police and anyone with weapons.

This morning when he returned he sensed a darkening of the mood and left before the violence started up.

The violence today really worried me he said " It was instigated by government paid thugs rather than a popular uprising."

He said he will consider going back to the square tomorrow but will wait to see how the scene looks.

To his delight, his Internet had just come back on shortly before we talked and he was once again able to watch worldwide coverage.

Like everyone else he does not know how it will all turn out.

But he knows he is witnessing a magnificent moment.

"this is a popular revolution" he says, it is all sections of society, upper middle class, working class."

Like everyone else he is just hoping it all turns out right