Islamist supporters of President Mohamed Morsy came out in the tens to demonstrate against the Constitution Party’s anti-Morsy protest march from the Fatah Mosque in Ramses Square early Friday afternoon.
The two groups engaged in verbal sparring matches, shouting slogans at each other after the Friday prayers ended. Constitution Party protesters immediately left.
On their way from Ramses to Tahrir Square, the protesters chanted and raised banners with statements including “The people want the downfall of the regime.”
The Islamist protesters continued chanting pro-Morsy slogans, such as “People want god’s rules to be applied,” and raising the Quran. They ended their demonstration as soon as the other group left.
Hundreds of protesters began flocking to Tahrir Square on Friday morning to take part in the mass protest against the constitutional declaration issued by Morsy late Thursday night.
Protesters blocked traffic and marched across the square. They held banners reading “Welcome revolutionaries” and chanted slogans such as, “Down with the Muslim Brotherhood.”
The entrances of Tahrir Square were closed with the placement of barriers at the Egyptian Museum, the American University in Cairo, Qasr al-Nil Street and Qasr al-Ainy Street, which was already blocked due to clashes taking place there between other protesters and security forces.
Two tents were set up in the middle of the square. Several street vendors were present.
A march has started from Mostafa Mahmoud Street in Mohandiseen to join protesters in Tahrir. The march is led by reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei and head of Popular Current Hamdeen Sabbahi. Other marches from Dokki and Sayeda Zeinab will join protesters in Tahrir later today.
Arrangements began early morning on Friday for the protest, which was called for by several political forces during a meeting at the Wafd Party headquarters late on Thursday following Morsy’s announcement.
Political forces including the Wafd Party, Tagammu Party, Constitution Party, Democratic Egyptian Party, Free Egyptians Party and Popular Trend Party, as well as the April 6 Youth Movement, the Revolutionary Youth Union, the Free Egyptian Movement, the No to Military Trials group and the Bring them for Trial campaign have announced participation in the protest.
The demands of the protesters are many, including the annulment of the newly-declared constitutional declaration that grants the president unprecedented powers, the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, holding a national dialogue to reach consensus over standards and mechanisms of a new assembly that would include all political forces, issuing a legislation that guarantees justice for the martyrs, the dismissal of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil, forming a new revolutionary government and restructuring the Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, Islamist forces including the Muslim Brotherhood, Jama’a al-Islamiya, and Salafi Dawah as well the Freedom and Justice Party, the Noor Party, Asala and Wasat have refused to take part in the protest in Tahrir, and confirm their support of the new constitutional declaration.