Egypt protests most violent since Morsi took power 100 days ago
Opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohamed Morsi (back) throw Molotov cocktails towards government supporters during clashes in Tahrir Square in Cairo on October 12, 2012.
Protesters from opposing rallies clashed in Cairo, Egypt today in some of the worst fighting since President Mohammed Morsi took power.
Those loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood leader ripped down a platform used to make speeches against the president while some threw stones at each other, the Associated Press reported. Reuters reported that petrol bombs and bottles were also thrown, with the Health Ministry reporting some 110 people reported injured in the clashes.
Morsi has been in power for about 100 days, and the latest violence demonstrates deep political divides remain in Egypt.
A range of political groups organized their rallies in part because of a verdict this week that acquitted 25 people of manslaughter and attempted murder charges during Arab Spring uprisings that toppled strongman Hosni Mubarak. CNN said thousands of people came out on the streets, some of them shouting for Morsi to leave.
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The verdict came Wednesday and was related to one of the more violent incidents of the Arab Spring last year, Reuters said.
Last February, security forces riding horses and camels charged protesters, killing 12.
A court acquitted the Mubarak-era officials involved. The majority of the soldiers accused of killing over 800 protesters during the unrest, according to CNN.
In the resulting violence Friday, about 2,000 arrived in Tahrir Square, Al Jazeera reported.
GlobalPost's correspondent in Egypt, Erin Cunningham, tweeted, "Egyptian protestors come out to demonstrate against an attack on Tahrir… by attacking Tahrir."
Mubarak was in Alexandria, Egypt today and promised Egypt would bring those responsible for the so-called “Camel Battle” to justice.
“All of the segments of Egypt’s society were deprived of many rights (under Mubarak), he said, according to the AP. “And the biggest right deprived of us was the right to freedom.”
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