Egypt protest targets Morsi palace as violence flares

0
107

Protesters and security forces clashed at the presidential palace on Friday as thousands of people rallied in cities across the country against Egypt’s divisive leader President Mohamed Morsi.
The Republican Guard appealed for calm as demonstrators hurled petrol bombs over the palace walls and security forces responded with water cannon and tear gas and troops fired warning shots into the night sky.
Egypt’s official MENA news agency quoted a Republican Guard statement as saying protesters had tried to enter the palace grounds. Police then advanced on the protesters in armoured vehicles, firing tear gas.
People took to the streets in a show of opposition to Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood after a wave of deadly unrest swept the country last week in the worst violence since Morsi was elected president last June.
Protesters marched through rare rainfall towards the capital’s iconic Tahrir Square and the presidential palace, chanting “Freedom!” and “Morsi is illegitimate!”Scores of protesters skirmished with riot police several hundred metres (yards) from the square, witnesses said, and two were wounded by birdshot fired by police.