Egypt: Everywhere shaken by wave of protests

On July 7, many cities in Egypt were shaken by a wave of protests as both supporters and opponents of deposed President Mohamed Morsi took to the streets to express their opinions.

In Cairo, more than 250,000 protesters gathered in Tahrir Square and in front of the Presidential Palace in Heliopolis district - the center of the largest anti-government protest wave in Egyptian history on June 30, to protest against the Muslim Brotherhood and its demand for the reinstatement of Mr. Morsi.

Massive protests at Tahrir Square in Cairo. (Source: AFP/TTXVN)

Protesters chanted slogans such as "Bread, freedom and social justice" and "Legitimacy belongs to the people, not Rabaa" (referring to the gathering place of Mr. Morsi's supporters), along with banners opposing US President Barack Obama, accusing this leader of having anti-Egyptian views, as well as the Salafist Nour Islamist party that opposed the appointment of Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei as interim Prime Minister.

In Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city on the Mediterranean coast, tens of thousands of people marched from many locations to gather at Sidi Gaber Square to protest against the Muslim Brotherhood as well as the US's support for deposed President Morsi.

In the Suez Canal city and the Nile Delta city of Mahala, forces supporting the military coup also held many marches toward the central square area.

The protests and marches were launched by the "Tamarod" (Uprising) campaign - the force behind the massive protests that led to Mr. Morsi's ouster by the military - and the Revolutionary Socialist Party, Egyptian Social Democratic Party, and the People's Socialist Alliance, to defend "popular legitimacy" and counterbalance the massive demonstrations by the Islamists who support "democratic legitimacy."

Meanwhile, since noon on July 7, tens of thousands of Muslims have gathered at Al-Adawiya Rabaa Square (in Nasr City district in eastern Cairo) to protest the "military coup" on July 3, demanding the reinstatement of Mr. Morsi and "protecting the revolution."

Protesters, including many women wearing black scarves covering their faces and children, joined a prayer service in front of a small church here.

The protest was called by the "National Alliance in Support of Legitimacy" which includes several Islamist parties and movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood and the hardline Islamist group Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya.

In a statement, the newly formed coalition affirmed that Mr. Morsi is still the legitimate President of Egypt and condemned the security forces' pursuit and arrest of senior leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) - the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood - said it would continue street protests until Mr Morsi was reinstated, and asked the army to protect peaceful Islamist protests.

Nearly 5,000 Islamists blocked the street connecting the Republican Guard headquarters and the Egyptian Air Force, forcing the Central Security Forces and police to intervene to clear the vital route.

Supporters of Mr Morsi staged a sit-in in front of the Republican Guard headquarters after it emerged the former president was being held there.

In the provinces of Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta region, two rival factions held protests and marches in front of the governor's headquarters, raising concerns about the risk of bloody clashes.

Over the weekend alone, clashes between extremist protesters left at least 37 people dead and more than 1,400 injured across Egypt.

In another development, the al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya group and the Construction and Development Party - its political arm - called on interim President Adly Mansour to resign to avoid pushing Egypt into a "harsh conflict."

In a statement, the hardline Islamist group said the resignation of the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court would help lead the country out of "the current crisis and prevent chaos."/.

According to (TTXVN) - DT