Egyptians challenge Islamist president

Cairo: Opponents of Egypt’s President Mohammad Mursi scuffled with his supporters on Friday during a demonstration that posed the first test of the Islamist leader’s popularity on the street.

Egyptians had been nervous that an anti-Mursi protest, flagged for several weeks, could turn violent and in Cairo’s Tahrir Square rival groups hurled stones at each other. Some wielded sticks and charged their opponents.

Scenes were calmer in other areas of the city where Mursi’s opponents also gathered. But total numbers across the city were still relatively small by early afternoon, numbering in the hundreds. Protests tend to build later in the day in summer.

Activists behind the protest accuse Mursi of seeking to monopolise power after he wrested back powers in August that the military council, which had ruled Egypt for a year and a half, had sought to retain for itself.

But several liberal groups usually critical of the Muslim Brotherhood stayed away from the protest, including the April 6 youth movement that helped galvanise support to oust President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Those declining to demonstrate did so either because they felt it was too early to judge Mursi, two months into his presidency, or that any challenge should be by ballot box and not on the street.

“Wake up Egyptian people. Don’t fall for the Brotherhood,” said Mahmoud, in his 50s, addressing about 200 people in Tahrir Square. “Egypt is for all Egyptians, not only one group.”

The violence flared when bangs went off nearby, but it was not clear if they was caused by a weapon, fireworks or something else, a Reuters witness said.

Some Tahrir demonstrators chanted: “What does the [Brotherhood’s] guide want? He wants everyone to kiss his feet,” a reference to the spiritual leader of the Islamist group.

The organisers, among them opposition politician Mohammad Abu Hamed, also want a probe into the funding of the Brotherhood, repressed by Mubarak during his 30-year rule but which has dominated the political scene since he was toppled.

In a headline before the protests, the daily Al Masry Al Youm called the demonstration “the first test for Mursi.”

Protest organisers said they would march towards the presidential palace to protest against Mursi, sworn in on June 30 as Egypt’s first president not drawn from military ranks.

“Both Tantawi and the Brotherhood stole the revolution and destroyed Egypt,” said Mohsin Abd Rabbo, a government worker, referring to Field Marshal Hussain Tantawi, Egypt’s interim ruler, who was dismissed by Mursi this month.

He was speaking in Cairo’s Abbasiya area, near the Defence Ministry, where dozens of protesters had gathered and more were congregating. It was the site of clashes between protesters and soldiers earlier this year when the army was still in charge.

The road leading to the ministry was cordoned off.

Security officials said they would protect peaceful protests but would act firmly against any lawbreakers after speculation in the press and social media that protesters could target Brotherhood premises.

Criticism

The protest’s Facebook page said it would be peaceful.

April 6 said in a statement before the protest that it disagreed with the Brotherhood on many issues but added: “Does all that and more push us to issue a judgement now to burn the group’s members or premises and exile them from the country?”

Ahmad Saeed, head of the Free Egyptians, another liberal group staying away, wrote on Facebook: “Those who want to bring down the Brotherhood should bring them down via elections.”