According to Associate Press (via Forbes), Monsters & Critics, and others, today’s Sixth of April events today in Egypt fizzled. The country’s security forces arrested at least 25 people in advance of the day of protest, which was partially to commemorate last years Sixth of April event. Today, they arrested an additional 15. (AP asserts a total of 56 arrested.)

According to AP, hundreds of riot police were stationed near the areas of protest in the Egyptian capital.

Police clashed with protesting university students Monday, as a planned nationwide strike and series of demonstrations by Egyptian pro-democracy activists fizzled Monday in the face of a massive security presence and low turnout.

Considering the fact that Egypt has arrested secular and left-wing students, attorneys, members of the press and of the conservative Muslim Brotherhood, I cannot imagine a better poster-child for the idea that all of us, regardless of our politics, religion, creed or ethnic background, are best served by the ability to say what we will in public and compete in the ‘marketplace of ideas’ than the Sixth of April. If that message can be taken away from this apparent failure, then maybe the failure is not so eggregious after all.

If anyone in Egypt can confirm this, or correct us, please do so in the comments.