Egypt’s Friday’s anti-Morsy rally turns violent

Demonstrations in Cairo

Amid the ongoing political crisis and clashes continued in Egyptian cities and after the national dialogue organized by Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsy Egypt’s oppositional forces have called for the Friday’s peaceful demonstrations against Muslim Brotherhood’s policies and demanding to achieve the goals of the Revolution.

On Thursday, 31 January, Egypt’s oppositional forces headed by the umbrella oppositional organization National Salvation Front have issued a joint statement declaring the attempt to organize peaceful marches in Egyptian capital Cairo and also in other governorates to protest Mohamed Morsy’s and Islamists’ rule.

The marches have been planned to start traditionally after Friday noon prayers and head to Presidential Palace in Cairo’s Heliopolis from different districts. Some of the revolutionaries have announced the sit-in. The similar marches have been organized in other Egyptian cities including Alexandria, Suez, Ismailia, Port Said and many others.

In addition to that today’s marches were also dedicated to commemoration of the victims of terrible football match in Port Said which left more than 70 people dead on 1 February 2012.

Nearly 16 main oppositional, leftist and revolutionary parties and organizations participated in the marches. Several workers’ syndicates, such as the one of lawyers, teachers and doctors, have also supported the initiative.

National Salvation Front along with other revolutionary forces have been calling on protesters to remain peaceful and to avoid any kind of violence and damaging the public property. Egypt’s Central Security Forces and also Armed Forces have also called for the peaceful nature of the marches and stressed their task is to protect Egyptian citizens, their property and the state’s institutions’ buildings. Meanwhile the additional troops have been deployed to the areas of the marches and in front of the Presidential Palace.

Egypt's anti-Morsy rallies

The marches have been peaceful but in the evening they suddenly turned violent as some of the protesters and Central Security Forces clashed together. Protesters have been throwing stones and Molotov cocktails as the police forces have responded with the tear gas.

The clashes have been reported in some other cities too when the anti-Morsy protesters have clashed with the Muslim Brotherhood’s supporters.

According to the latest reports there is at least one casualty at the moment, as the death of 23-years old protester has been confirmed. In addition to that Ministry of Health reported about at least 30 injured people, a lot of then suffered from the tear gas used by the CSF.

Meanwhile the clashes continue in Cairo, as the political forces are trying to find the common solution of the current crisis and to finally start the dialogue between different political powers.

Egypt's protesters in front of the concrete wall erected
by CSF

We would also remind here that the main demands expressed by the protesters and the oppositional forces at the moment are the amendment of the controversial articles of the Constitution and also establishing of the special committee responsible for it; dismissal of the current government headed by Hisham Qandeel; appointment of the new Prosecutor General; bringing Muslim Brotherhood to the law not allowing them to usurp the power in the country; form the committees to investigate the violence during the protests and bring those responsible for these crimes to justice.

Ahram Online provides the coverage of the Friday’s protests reporting from Cairo and several other cities of Egypt.

Here is also the link for their latest updates.