4 killed in Egypt's anti-president protests
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E-mail Xinhua, July 1, 2013
At least four were killed in Upper Egypt on Sunday during armed attacks on anti-president protests nationwide, while over 250 others were injured.
![Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians flooded to the major squares in the country on the first anniversary of the Islamist-oriented president on Sunday to oust him and call for an early presidential election. [Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20130701/001372acd6e1133b151e02.jpg "Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians flooded to the major squares in the country on the first anniversary of the Islamist-oriented president on Sunday to oust him and call for an early presidential election. [Xinhua]") |
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Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians flooded to the major squares in the country on the first anniversary of the Islamist-oriented president on Sunday to oust him and call for an early presidential election. [Xinhua] |
The first victim, a young man in his 20s, died in hospital after being seriously injured in an armed attack on protesters against controversial President Mohamed Morsi in Beni Suef, while the three others were killed in clashes between Morsi's supporters and opponents in Assiut outside the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood's (MB's) political wing, the ruling Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).
Meanwhile, the health ministry said that over 250 were injured so far in the pro- and anti-president protests in the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Daqahliya, Gharbiya, Minufiya, Beheira, Fayoum, Assiut and Beni Suef.
Nationwide protests
Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians flooded to the major squares in the country on the first anniversary of the Islamist-oriented president on Sunday to oust him and call for an early presidential election.
In the biggest protests Egypt has witnessed since the 2011 upheaval that toppled ex-president Hosni Mubarak, anti-Morsi protesters took to Tahrir Square and the vicinity of the presidential palace in Cairo as well as several squares in other governorates, while the pro-president protesters continued their sit-in for the third consecutive day at Rabia al-Adawiya Square in Cairo's Nasr City "to defend legitimacy" of the first freely- elected president.
Military helicopters have been seen flying over the heads of anti-Morsi protesters in Tahrir and near the presidential palace while the protesters were waving to hail them.
Morsi's opponents accuse him and the Muslim Brotherhood, from which the president hails, of attempting to control all the state' s institutions without leaving room for other political forces to share in the country's decision making process.
Meanwhile, the president's supporters say he derives legitimacy from the ballot box as winner of the first free democratic elections in Egypt, asserting "legitimacy is a red line" and vowing to defend Morsi until death.
On the other hand, hundreds of judges staged a protest outside the Supreme Courthouse in Cairo against what they called "an offensive launched by Morsi on the judiciary and the judges."
The anti-president marches extended to include Alexandria, Suez, Sharqiya, Ismailia, Daqahliya, Gharbiya, Minufiya, Beheira, Fayoum, Assiut and Beni Suef governorates, where protesters chanted anti- regime slogans and raised banners and symbolic red cards calling the president to step down.
Some members of the Egyptian community in Paris also staged anti-Morsi marches while some others held a protest to support Morsi's legitimacy.
Brotherhood HQs attacked
On the other hand, some 500 anti-Morsi protesters attacked the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood, from which the president hails, in Cairo by hurling stones, Molotov cocktails and burning tyres, a witness told Xinhua.
Further, nine people were injured in similar attacks against the headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood's FJP in Gharbiya and other governorates across the country.
Security forces succeeded to abort two attempts to burn down MB offices in Qalyubiya governorate northern Cairo.
Unknown gunmen, also in Qalyubiya, opened fire at protesters surrounding the office of the FJP while as the latter attempted to storm the building amid slogans against President Morsi and his MB group.
Reactions
The Egyptian presidency said Sunday that dialogue is the only option to get the country out of the current political crisis amid massive protests staged by opposition groups calling for the ouster of the president.
"There is no alternative to dialogue and earnest national reconciliation to bridge the current division," stressed presidential spokesman Ehab Fahmi at a press conference, referring to the ongoing protests in Cairo and other provinces.
Fahmi added that the presidency respects the right of "peaceful " expression, whether by the president's opponents or proponents.
Fahmi denied "rumors" that the current government of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil would be sacked and dismissed any mediation of the military institution to contain the political disputes.
In a later press conference, Fahmi said that the presidency is open for dialogue and is waiting for any response from the opposition to the president's invitation for "earnest national reconciliation."
"We are waiting for even any slight response to start from," Fahmi reiterated, showing more leniency in responding to the demands of the anti-president protesters.
In contrast, the opposition National Salvation Front (NSF) on Sunday issued a statement entitled "Revolution Statement No. 1", where it announced endorsement of the protesters' demand of toppling the current regime.
"The NSF is confident that the Egyptian people will protect their revolution until a peaceful power hand-over takes place," the statement said.
Also, the opposition leftist Popular Current called on President Morsi to yield to the demands of protesters.
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