MASRAWY, AL FAGR (Egypt)
CAIRO – After a night of clashes outside the Egyptian presidential palace, Mohammed Morsi is reportedly back in his office Wednesday and “resuming his duties normally,” according to Cairo-based website Masrawy.
Protestors continued to camp through the night in front of Itihadiya Palace (Heliopolis), Morsi’s residence since he was elected President last spring. Demonstrations intensified throughout the day Tuesday to challenge the new self-declared powers of Morsi. Indeed, liberal activists seem to have adopted Tuesdays as their protest day, instead of Fridays now reserved to the supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist organization of which Morsi has long been a member.
This latest was the Tuesday of the “last warning,” with some 10,000 protestors gathered around the presidential palace, while others continued to camp in Tahrir Square. While many were calling for the downfall of the regime using the same slogans used against longtime President Hosni Mubarak, most were instead calling for the cancellation of the Constitutional declaration and the referendum on the Constitution.
Some demonstraters invaded the Presidential palace, climbing the sharp wires surrounding it and battling presidential security. Some sources say that policemen took the side of protestors and even let them use their vans. Two hours later, an official spoke anonymously to the newspaper Al Fagr, saying that Morsi fled using the back door at 6 p.m.
The Nov. 22 declaration that the President issued entitles him to alone hold both the final executive and the legislative say, while reducing the judicial power until the new Constitution is officially ratified. Prominent opposition figures like Mohamed El Baradei, Hamdin Sabbahi, Amr Moussa and others called on the Egyptian people to take to the streets. Some courts announced the suspension of their functions, with judges declaring Morsi’s move a violation of the principle of judicial independence and separation of powers.
The “last warning” Tuesday was a clear message to the regime and the Brotherhood to not underestimate liberal forces. Opposition writer Alaa El Aswanytweeted:
هذه رسالة واضØØ© للديكتاتور.الثورة ليست ضعيÙØ© يامرسي وهي قادرة على خلعك.المرة القادمة لم تعود الى الØÙ‚ لن تستطيع الهرب وسو٠نضعك مع مبارك .
— Alaa Al-Aswany (@alaaaswany) December 4, 2012
“This a clear message for the dictator. The revolution is not weak Morsi. It is capable of bringing you to your end. The next time you don’t follow the rules, you will not be able to flee and we will put you where Mubarak is.”
Even if there were no serious injuries yesterday, the situation seems to be far from calming down. El Aswany tweeted again Wednesday morning:
وصلني الان خبر مؤكد :ان الاخوان يجهزون للاعتداء على المعتصمين امام الاتØادية . اØمل مرسي مسئولية دماء المعتصمين .سيكون الثمن باهظا يا مرسي
— Alaa Al-Aswany (@alaaaswany) December 5, 2012
“I just received a confirmed piece of news: the Brotherhood is preparing to attack protestors in front of Itihadeya Palace. Morsi is in charge of the blood of these protestors. Know that the price to pay will be high Morsi.”
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Tahrir Square (Gigi Ibrahim)
