In retaliation to the mammoth-scale demonstrations by the Egyptian secular forces yesterday in protest against President Mursi##s Constitutional Declaration and the
Islamist draft constitution the President has put to referendum on 15 December, the Islamists have mobilised a huge counter demonstration which has been clashing with the seculars.
The Islamist demonstration started as a march from the al-Mustafa mosque in the east Cairo district of Heliopolis, and headed to the nearby presidential palace. They clashed with the seculars demonstrating in front of the palace. Yesterday evening, Mursi had escaped the palace to ##safer## place.
Eyewitnesses say the Islamists viciously attacked the seculars with white weapons and clubs. Chanting slogans of “The people support the President##s decree” and “Islam is coming; it is coming” they attacked the residents of the nearby neighbourhood of Hammamat al-Qubba who had tried to hinder them from reaching the presidential palace. They damaged the locals## cars which were parked along the sidewalks.
The secular movements issued a statement in which they said the Islamists were assaulting the Egyptian masses, and said President Mursi should stand up to his responsibility on that head. The statement carried the signatures of 19 political movements and parties. These were the Free Front for Peaceful Change, the People##s Stream, the Dustour Party, the People##s Socialist Coalition, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, the Free Egyptians, the Egyptian Socialist Party, the Egypt Freedom Party, the Youth for Freedom and Justice, the Socialist Revolutionists, the National Association for Change, the Kifaya (Enough) Movement, the 6 April Democratic Front, the Free Egyptian Movement, the National Front for Social Justice, the Lotus Coalition, The Maspero Youth Union, the Coalition of Egypt##s Revolutionists, and the Shayfeenkum (We can see you) movement.
Watani International
5 December 2012