Morsi supporters, opponents clash in Cairo

Fierce clashes have broken out between supporters and opponents of Egypt’s deposed president, Mohamed Morsi, in the capital Cairo and many other cities, security sources say.

This comes after Morsi’s supporters held a protest march in Cairo chanting slogans against the military rule on Friday afternoon.

“Down, down with the military rule!” the protesters shouted.

They held placards showing the four-finger logo of solidarity with those killed when security forces razed pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo in August.

Police in the Egyptian capital used tear gas and threw stun grenades to end clashes between supporters and opponents of Morsi.

Supporters of Muslim Brotherhood also clashed with riot police during a demonstration in the streets of El Zeitun neighborhood close by al Qubba presidential Palace in the capital city.

Similar protest rallies were also held in the cities of Suez and Port Said.

The mass rally comes despite warnings from authorities of a firm response to any unauthorized protests.

The violence erupted after thousands of protesters defied an anti-protest law and gathered in several parts of Cairo to denounce the ongoing killings across the North African country.

The law has sparked a new wave of protests by supporters of Morsi, who accuse the military-backed government of giving the police and military a free hand to commit rights violations.

Last Friday, police arrested around 180 people in pro-Morsi rallies. Demonstrations have been held in support of Morsi across Egypt almost daily since the army ousted him in early July

Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members, including the group’s jailed leader, Mohamed Badie, and his two deputies, Khairat al-Shater and Rashad al-Bayoumi, are facing trial and the likelihood of heavy sentences, including death sentence over charges of inciting violence.

The army-backed authorities accuse the activists of inciting violence and attacking security personnel, charges that the Brotherhood strongly rejects as politically motivated.

The trials are part of the mounting pressure and a sweeping crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been leading mass protests demanding the reinstatement of Morsi.

Tensions in Egypt have been running high since the country’s first democratically-elected president was ousted on July 3. Hundreds of protesters, mostly supporters of former president, Mohamed Morsi, were killed or wounded during the deadly violence that broke out afterwards.