April 6th General Strike in Egypt

The calls for a general strike have spread over the past week through the internet and text messages.

A group called "April 6" on Facebook has attracted more than 64,000 members.

It is unclear who initiated the call to expand the strike beyond the 25,000 employees of the textile plant in the central city of Mahalla.

The messages have urged people to stay home from work, avoid shopping, wear black clothes and hang the Egyptian flag from windows and balconies in a show of support for the strikers.