Prominent Egyptian democracy advocate Mohammed ElBaradei warned Saturday of increasing turmoil that could potentially lead to the military stepping in unless the Islamist president rescinds his new, near absolute powers, as the country's long fragmented opposition sought to unite and rally new protests, ABC News reports.

Egyptian judges accused President Mohammed Morsi on Saturday of an “unprecedented attack” on the judiciary by assuming sweeping powers putting him beyond judicial oversight, with some going on protest strike. The Supreme Judicial Council said after an emergency meeting that Morsi’s constitutional declaration was “an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings.”

READ MORE: Morsi's Opponents Respond Angrily To His New Powers

The council, which handles administrative affairs and judicial appointments, called on the president to remove from the declaration “anything that touches the judiciary.”

According to Reuters, that demand was echoed by prominent opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei. "There is no room for dialogue when a dictator imposes the most oppressive, abhorrent measures and then says 'let us split the difference'," he said.

The Judges Club of Alexandria announced “the suspension of work in all courts and prosecution administrations in the provinces of Alexandria and Beheira.” And they “will accept nothing less than the cancellation of (Morsi’s decree),” which violates the principle of separation of powers, club chief Mohammed Ezzat Al-Agwa said.

Earlier, anti-riot police fired tear gas to disperse anti-Morsi protesters camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square as Western governments voiced growing concern over the political crisis. 

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage of Mohamed Morsi here.

Follow Executive Producer Chima Simone on Twitter.