Egypt President Warns Opposition Against ‘Promoting Violence’

President Mohamed Morsi has denounced Friday’s attacks on Muslim Brotherhood offices and called for action against politicians found guilty of inciting the violence.

“If investigations prove politicians are guilty [of incitement], the necessary action will be taken against them despite their status,” President Morsi said during a speech at the Initiative for the Rights and Freedoms of Egyptian Women on Sunday.

Politicians must not provide a “political facade” for acts of violence or vandalism, he added.

President Morsi stressed that everybody would be treated equally before the law, whether they are “a supporter or an opponent [of the government], a police officer or a statesman.”

The violence on Friday had nothing to do with the January 25 Revolution, he said.

“Everyone has the right to protest peacefully, but what is happening now has nothing to do with the revolution,” the president said. “Instead they are acts of violence and vandalism, and assaults on public and private property.”

President Morsi said he would take “any measures required to protect the country” and he was “about to do so.”

“Attempts to portray the state as weak have failed. The state apparatuses are recovering and are able to deal with lawbreakers.

“All Egyptian blood is precious and we will not permit more of it to be shed…”

The president called on Egyptians to “preserve security and exercise self-control.”

“I am a president for all Egyptians, and I will not allow the nation to be harmed,” he added.

Clashes on Friday between supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood at its headquarters in Cairo and in several other cities left at least 200 injured.

Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdullah has ordered investigations into a complaint filed by lawyers representing the Muslim Brotherhood against 14 political figures and parties accused of inciting violence against the Islamist group.

Ahram