Friday, February 15, 2013

One killed, 26 injured in clashes between protesters and Egyptian police

One person has been killed and at least 26 injured in clashes between anti-government protesters and Egyptian police. On Friday, thousands of Egyptians held demonstrations against and in support of the government of President Mohamed Morsi in the capital. Clashes broke out outside the presidential palace after anti-government demonstrators attacked the building with stones and petrol bombs on Friday night, and 13 people were injured. In response, police used tear gas and water cannon to turn back hundreds of people from the president’s residence. Another 13 people were injured in clashes in other parts of Cairo. The death occurred in Gharbiya governorate, which is located 80 kilometers north of Cairo. “One was killed in Gharbiya governorate when a vehicle hit him during an anti-government protest,” Egyptian Health Ministry spokesman Ahmed Omar said. Anti-government protesters also attacked security forces in the country's second largest city, Alexandria, on the same day. They demanded that Morsi make efforts to realize the goals of the revolution that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Thousands of Egyptians also staged demonstrations in Suez, Port Said, and many other cities and towns to call on Morsi, who took office in June 2012, to fulfill his election promises. Earlier in the day, about 5,000 Egyptians staged a demonstration in Cairo in support of Morsi. The demonstrators gathered in front of Cairo University for the event, which they dubbed the "No to violence" march. Some of the protesters carried banners that read "Yes to Islamic law" while others chanted: "People want the law of God to be implemented." They condemned the recent wave of violent anti-government demonstrations that broke out three weeks ago around the second anniversary of the beginning of the revolution. Many Morsi supporters said that the opposition's incessant demonstrations calling for reform have hurt the economy and have seriously undermined the campaign for change. The Egyptians launched the revolution against the pro-Israeli regime on January 25, 2011, which eventually brought an end to the 30-year dictatorship of Mubarak on February 11, 2011.

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