One killed in clashes outside Egyptian presidential palace

At least one person has been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces outside Egypt’s presidential palace, as President Mohamed Morsi vows “decisive” police action.

Medics say the 23-year-old died of a gunshot wound in Cairo late on Friday after police fired birdshot at the protesters, who are seeking to overthrow the president.

The police said they arrested 20 protesters, while the Interior Ministry said five of its men were wounded by birdshot.
Clashes erupted outside the presidential palace on Friday after demonstrators attacked the premises with stones and petrol bombs.

Security forces have blocked off most of the roads with concrete walls to prevent protesters from approaching government offices.

Earlier, the presidency said security forces would deal with violent protests with “utmost decisiveness” and that it would hold opposition groups found to have incited the clashes “politically accountable.”

Morsi said protesters had tried to break down the Presidential Palace gates and scale its walls and demanded that opposition groups denounce the violence and call on their followers to withdraw.

On Friday, there were also demonstrations in several other major Egyptian cities, with protesters accusing Morsi of monopolizing power and betraying the ideals of the 2011 revolution that toppled former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The protesters in Port Said are angry that people from their city were found guilty of murdering 74 people, who were killed in a riot that broke out in their town after Port Said-based Al-Masry defeated Cairo’s Al-Ahly 3-1 in a football match.

On January 27, a judge sentenced 21 local people to death for their roles in the February 1, 2012 riot, in which 1,000 people were also injured.

Officials say more than 50 people have been injured across the country, mostly in Cairo.