Jonathan Rashad/ Creative Commons

The people chanted familiar words from the Arab Spring revolts: "The people want to bring down the regime," and "erhal, erhal" — Arabic for "leave, leave."

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The mass protests in Cairo and in several other cities are a powerful show of opposition to the decrees issued last week by Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood.

"Suddenly Morsi is issuing laws and becoming the absolute ruler, holding all powers in his hands," said protester Mona Sadek, a 31-year-old engineering graduate who wears the Islamic veil, a hallmark of piety. "Our revolt against the decrees became a protest against the Brotherhood as well."

But Gehad el-Haddad, a senior adviser to the Brotherhood and its political party, said the opposition was "very divided" and that Morsi would not back down. "We are not rescinding the declaration," he told The Associated Press.

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Morsi's edicts effectively neutralize the judiciary, which was the only branch of government with the power to balance Morsi, who holds not only executive but also legislative authority.

For months, criticism has grown over Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists who are monopolizing government power to dictate the next constitution while not doing enough to tackle the country's multiple economic and security woes.

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In the Times, Martin Fletcher writes, "This is not the people against the regime as it was last year. This is the people against the people, non-Islamists versus Islamists. As has so often been the case before, the revolution marked the beginning of Egypt’s turmoil, not its end."

On a stage in the square, protest organizers called for another mass rally on Friday. Leaders of the Brotherhood have hinted at mass rallies of its own, which would raise the prospect of greater violence after a series of clashes between the two camps in recent days.

For more Neon Tommy coverage of Egypt, go here.

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