EGYPT: Thousands rally in Alexandria to support ousted President Mursi as violence breaks out amongst rival protesters and with the army around the country

Record ID: 214001

  • Title: EGYPT: Thousands rally in Alexandria to support ousted President Mursi as violence breaks out amongst rival protesters and with the army around the country
  • Date: 5th July 2013
  • Summary: ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (JULY 5, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PRO-MURSI PROTESTERS PROTESTER WAVING EGYPTIAN FLAG BY COLUMN POSTER WITH PICTURE OF HEAD OF ARMED FORCES, ABDUL FATAH AL-SISI, CROSSED OUT PROTESTER LEADING CHANTS, SAYING 'WE WON'T LEAVE IT [THE COUNTRY] TO THUGS!' PROTESTER HOLDING POSTER OF MURSI WIDE OF PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRO-MURSI PROTESTER, MOHAMED GUWEIDA, SAYING: "I would say to him [head of Armed Forces] we loved you and respected you, but you decided to side with the thugs and not the man who goes by the word of God. They are thugs and remnants of the former regime, and the Christians. And the Muslims who believe in God are no-one? We have faith in God." (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PRO-MURSI PROTESTER, MAHMOUD AL-MASRY, SAYING: "So what should we do now? Go back to using weapons? We want to find a solution with you [the other side]. We have to find a solution. Because if that doesn't happen it's very simple for people in Egypt to get weapons, and to attack the army and the Interior Ministry. Weapons are sold everywhere." WIDE OF PROTEST
  • Embargoed: 20th July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3Q5IK4MHLKJRRKGYFW4E77B32
  • Story Text: Thousands of Islamists took to the streets of Alexandria on Friday (July 5), as part of what deposed President Mohamed Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood movement has called a "Friday of Rage" to protest against his ouster.
    Egypt's first freely elected president was toppled on Wednesday (July 3) in what his Islamist supporters call a military coup.
    At least three protesters were shot dead on Friday outside the Republican Guard barracks in Cairo as angry Islamist supporters confronted troops across the country.
    The army denied blame.
    In Alexandria one of the pro-Mursi protesters told Reuters Television they felt let down by the military.

    "I would say to him [head of Armed Forces] we loved you and respected you, but you decided to side with the thugs and not the man who goes by the word of God. They are thugs and remnants of the former regime, and the Christians. And the Muslims who believe in God are no-one? We have faith in God," said Mohamed Guweida.
    Another warned that without a solution the divided country could see even more severe levels of violence.

    "So what should we do now? Go back to using weapons? We want to find a solution with you. We have to find a solution. Because if that doesn't happen it's very simple for people in Egypt to get weapons, and to attack the army and the Interior Ministry. Weapons are sold everywhere," said Mahmoud Al-Masry.
    Egypt has been in turmoil since the fall of Hosni Mubarak in the "Arab Spring" revolutions that swept the region in 2011.
    Several dozen people have been killed in the last month of unrest, during which huge rallies in Cairo and other cities called for Mursi's resignation amid anger over economic stagnation and perceptions of a Brotherhood power grab.
    His overthrow on Wednesday was greeted with wild scenes of celebration involving millions of people, but also infuriated his supporters who fear a return to the suppression of Islamists they endured under generations of military rule.
    How the army deals with the unrest on Friday and beyond will help determine future support for Cairo from the United States and other international powers.
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