Chicagoans came out in force on Saturday to show their support for Egyptians demanding democracy, and called on President Obama to urge an immediate change of the Egyptian government.

An uprising in Egypt intensifies as protesters risk their lives to demand that embattled president Hosni Mubarak step down.

"A Chicagoan is in the thick of the protests. Ahmed Rehab is the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Chicago. He says Egyptians are demanding change after generations of stagnation."

The Egyptian government may have engineered a blackout on Internet and cell phones to keep protestors from communicating, but one call from a Chicagoan in Cairo got through. CBS 2's Mike Parker spoke with Ahmed Rehab, of the local Council on Islamic American Relations.

"I planned it to be here so that I could participate heart and soul, body and mind with the people during these times," Ahmed Rehab said in a phone call.

Egyptians who have long voiced discontent with their government are now taking to the streets in unprecedented numbers demanding change. If Egypt succeeds, analysts agree that a domino effect is likely.

While people continue to protest in the streets of Egypt, hundreds of Chicagoans were rallying outside of the Egyptian consulate in Chicago Saturday afternoon. The pro-democracy rally was one of several protests that took place across the country on Saturday.

Ahmed Rehab has been hit 24 times with an acrid cloud of tear gas -- stopped in his tracks as he and thousands of other protesters march for democracy in Egypt. Unlike other American travelers, the Chicago-based civil rights activist, who heads CAIR-Chicago, went to Egypt in anticipation of the simmering revolution.

Ahmed Rehab of the Council on American Islamic Relations said the atmosphere was tense."It seems that every major square and every small street in Cairo was basically taken over by communities ... people are parading the streets, walking around with baseball bats and knives," he said from Cairo. "We didn't get any sleep all night."

Dubbed “Rage Friday,” Egyptians took to the streets in massive numbers all over Cairo, Alexandria, and several other cities around the country directly calling for a regime change. Until recently, while the government tolerated a certain degree of freedom of speech, criticism of Egypt’s 30-year despot Mubarak was unimaginable; those who tried faced swift retribution by the government in one form or another.

CAIR-Chicago participated in an interfaith press conference held on behalf of the Muslim Education and Cultural Center of America (MECCA), the third mosque denied a permit in DuPage County in the past year.

CAIR-Chicago Bids Farewell to Government Affairs Coordinator Reema Ahmad andcongratulates her on new position at Project Mobilize.

“I am grateful that Reema’s talent, professionalism, and work ethic will remain at the service of the Chicago Muslim community,” said Ahmed Rehab.

The AAUW put together the conference at DePaul University in order to achieve more knowledge on the role of women in Islam. The presentation, which drew around thirty audience members, allowed Abraham to bring up present day issues and misconceptions regarding Muslim women.

Members from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), including CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, met with Chicago’s mayoral candidates at a small conference held at the ICIRR office in the Chicago Loop on Friday, January 7, 2011. The featured candidates were former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun and City Clerk of Chicago Miguel Del Valle.

Amina Sharif issued a statement today on behalf of CAIR-Chicago, condemning the FBI's recent raids on the homes of local anti-war activists who have dedicated their lives towards peacefully organizing for justice at home and abroad.

The DREAM Act is finally being put to a vote in the Ill. House, and possibly later in the Senate today. The DREAM Act aims to create a pathway to citizenship for thousands of young students who were brought to the United States years ago as children.Call your local representatives and ask them to support the DREAM Act!

CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab delivered the keynote speech at the 2010 United Muslim Students Association (MSA) Dinner, an event that unites the four main Naperville-area high school MSAs.

Check out our Civil Rights Digest and see how CAIR-Chicago works to help people in the Muslim community.