Posts Tagged ‘Cairo protests’

Egyptians intensify protests against embattled Brotherhood

Demonstrators demand the ouster of President Morsi. —Photo by Mai Shaheen in Cairo, Egypt

Newscast Media CAIRO, Egypt—Hundreds of protesters have been arriving in Tahrir Square since early morning in preparation for mass rallies against President Morsi’s constitutional declaration and the draft constitution. Seventeen marches are expected to begin after Friday prayers from venues around Cairo including Giza, Tahrir Square, Abbaseya and a number of mosques. They will converge on the presidential palace in Heliopolis.

The protest has been variously termed ‘Friday to oust the Brotherhood’s militias’, ‘Red Card Friday’, and ‘Ultimatum Friday’. Around twenty-one groups have announced their participation in the protests.

Hundreds of protesters have been holding a sit-in in Tahrir Square since 22 November when President Morsi’s constitutional declaration rendered his decisions above judicial challenge and made the Islamist-dominated Shura Council and Constituent Assembly immune from dissolution by court order.

Protesters marched around Tahrir Square early Friday chanting, “The people want the downfall of the Brotherhood and Morsi” and “Leave, leave Morsi and Badie,” referring to the Muslim Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie.

http://newscastmedia.com/egyptprotests3.htm

Egyptian demonstrators head back to presidential palace

Egyptian to descend upon presidential palace

Newscast Media CAIRO—Protestors demanding President Mohamed Morsy’s ouster regrouped on Thursday evening with renewed marches to the presidential palace in Heliopolis. The demonstrations come after at least five died in the course of clashes Wednesday night between Morsy’s backers and opponents.

A march originating from Al-Nour Mosque in Abbasseya arrived in the evening at Marghani Street near the palace, where earlier in the day Armed Forces were reported to have begun building a wall to block demonstrators. Protestors called for Morsy’s downfall to pay for yesterday’s bloodshed.

Some young men and women in the march carried symbolic coffins, chanting favorite slogans such as “The people demand the downfall of the regime,” “Freedom,” and “Justice, justice, they killed our brothers with bullets.” Many were wearing helmets, a sign they were prepared for possible confrontations.

An angry mood pervaded among the protesters, who often chanted that they would refuse to dialogue with the president. One activist, Kamal, frequently led the chant: “No dialogue with the one killing revolutionaries.” Those present condemned Morsy’s use of what they called a militia to attack the opposition’s peaceful demonstration. They also chanted: “Listen to our voice everywhere; this night is the Brotherhood’s end.”

Muslim Brotherhood members and members of other Islamic factions who had come to Heliopolis from Cairo and across Egypt’s governorates withdrew from the scene of the clashes early on Thursday afternoon after the Republican Guards demanded all protesters leave the area by 3 pm.

The Republican Guards are currently securing the palace with barbed wire barriers. Rows of security forces stand behind them with batons and tasers. Two tanks and two other military vehicles were positioned behind the security forces, facing in the direction of the palace.

Around 10 ambulances have been positioned close to Marghani Street in anticipation of potential violence.

http://newscastmedia.com/egyptprotests2.htm

Three of President Morsi’s advisors resign over standoff

Egyptians drive President Mohammed Morsi out of the presidential palace and demand he step down. —Photo by Mai Shaheen in Cairo, Egypt

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

Newscast Media CAIRO, Egypt—Three of President Mohamed Morsy’s advisors resigned Wednesday evening, as a political standoff escalated into clashes between supporters of the president and his opponents.

Presidential adviser Saif Abdel Fattah told Al-Jazeera on the phone that he has resigned in protest of the clashes that took place outside the presidential palace on Wednesday.

“The Muslim Brotherhood is a narrow-minded and mummified group not worthy of Egypt,” he said. “I cannot bear seeing our young die.”

“The young are the ones who made the revolution, and who are still paying the price,” he added. “And the crisis could have been resolved, had the Brotherhood not been only working for its own interests.”

“I am going to unite the young and work with them,” he said.

Presidential adviser Ayman al-Sayyad also resigned on Wednesday. He tweeted that he and other advisers had resigned a week ago but did not announce it. Amr al-Leithy also tweeted that he had resigned last week to protest the constitutional declaration.

http://newscastmedia.com/egyptprotests.htm