Clashes In Alexandria, Mansoura After Pro-Morsi Rallies
About a dozen people were injured and others arrested in minor clashes that erupted on Friday in several cities nationwide between supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi and their opponents.
Five people were injured in Egypt’s Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Reuters’ Aswat Masriya reported, while 14 other were arrested there, according to state news agency MENA.
Al-Ahram’s Arabic website reported that clashes erupted in Alexandria’s eastern Al-Asafra district after a pro-Morsi rally which featured chants against the army was met with anger from passersby’s and residents. Verbal exchanges turned to scuffles, with rocks thrown and birdshot fired.
The police arrived at the scene and fired teargas, dispersing the crowds. The rally, according to Al-Ahram, numbered in the hundreds.
Meanwhile, two people were injured and five were arrested in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura during similar confrontations, Al-Ahram’s Arabic website reported. Clashes erupted after the funeral of a prominent Muslim Brotherhood member Safwat Khalil, who died in police custody shortly after a court order to release him was issued.
Khalil was detained by police forces in August on charges of inciting violence. He was suffering from cancer.
During Khalil’s funeral on Friday, Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters chanted against what they describe as a “coup” against the Muslim Brotherhood’s Morsi and were attacked by onlookers.
Police reportedly arrived at the scene and fired teargas.
In addition, five people were injured in Al-Basarta village in the Nile Delta governorate of Damietta in similar clashes between pro-Morsi supporters and opposing locals.
Despite hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members and Islamists being rounded up by police, weekly pro-Morsi protests continue to take place in various Egyptian cities, although turnout and frequency have been reduced in the wake of the security crackdown.
Morsi was removed from power by the military on 3 July following mass protests against him.
After the violent dispersal of two mass pro-Morsi sit-ins in August, during which hundreds of protesters were killed by police, violent protests erupted across the country, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency and to crack down on Morsi supporters.
Source : Ahram
