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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Egypt's Opposition Remains Defiant Against Morsi, Boycotts Dialogue

Nicholas Slayton |
December 7, 2012 | 4:13 p.m. PST

Executive Producer

Crowds outside the Presidential Palace gather in protest (Gigi Ibrahim/Creative Commons).
Crowds outside the Presidential Palace gather in protest (Gigi Ibrahim/Creative Commons).

Protesters in Egypt refused to back down as demonstrations against President Mohammad Morsi continue.

The National Salvation Front, a coalition of Egypt's political opposition groups, announced that they would not stop rallies and marches against Morsi's recent actions. It also refused to join in a national dialogue that Morsi proposed, and called on other political groups to join the boycott. The NSF earlier said it would meet with Morsi if he gave up his assumed powers.

Thousands of Egyptians marched on the presidential palace in Heliopolis while protests continued around the country. The protesters broke through barricades, chanting for Morsi to step down from power and leave. So far at least seven people have died in classes between rival demonstrations, and hundreds more are wounded. Reports of fighting continue across the country, and many worry the violence could escalate.

The protests started after Morsi, elected as the first president since ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak, issued a decree that gave himself greater, far-reaching powers. The constitutional assembly also upset Egyptians, as the draft constitution – mainly written by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood affiliates, as Christian and liberal members walked out on the group – was approved for referendum. However, in response to the protest, voting on the referendum is being pushed back four days to Dec. 12 at the earliest.

After silence over the protests, Morsi spoke on Thursday night, calling for an end to demonstrations while accusing foreign groups of funding and stirring up dissent.

The protests have drawn out all members of Egypt's political society, from Muslim Brotherhood supporters to liberals and even former Mubarak supporters, who have allied with the anti-Morsi activists.

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage of Egypt here.
Reach Executive Producer Nicholas Slayton here. Follow him here.



 

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