Egypt counted its dead on Saturday after Islamists enraged by the overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi took to the streets in an explosion of violence against what they denounced as a military coup.
July 6, 2013


Caution: Graphic content.

A public show of support for Egypt’s ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, turned deadly on Friday as troops opened fire on a crowd. At least one man was killed outside the officers’ club of the Presidential Club, which is where Morsi is believed to be detained, according to BBC. The Muslim Brotherhood is refusing to negotiate with the new government, saying it will now adopt the tactic that led to the deposition of their first democratically elected leader and take to the streets in protest. The post-coup military plan includes a suspension of the Constitution, the institution of an interim government and the promise of new elections within the year.

Reuters updates on the violent clashes overnight Friday:

"Egypt counted its dead on Saturday after Islamists enraged by the overthrow of President Mohamed Mursi took to the streets in an explosion of violence against what they denounced as a military coup.

At least 30 people died and more than 1,000 were wounded after Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood movement called "Friday of Rejection" protests across the country and tried to march on the military compound where the ousted president is held.

The most deadly clashes were in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, where 14 people died and 200 were wounded. In central Cairo, pro- and anti-Mursi protesters fought pitched battles late into the night with stones, knives, petrol bombs and clubs as armored personnel carriers rumbled among them.

It took hours to restore calm. The Nile River bridges around the landmark Egyptian Museum where the street fights raged were still covered with the debris of rocks and shattered glass on Saturday morning. Both pro- and anti-Mursi activists remained encamped in different squares in the capital."

The Egyptian military has denied using live ammunition to shoot protesters -- although the Guardian photographed live ammunition marked with the army insignia at the scene -- and Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie spoke to the crowd of Morsi supporters, although other reports indicated that he had been arrested:

"Early on Friday, three protesters were shot dead outside the Republican Guard barracks where deposed Mursi is being held, security sources said.

The army denied responsibility for the shootings. An army spokesman said troops did not open fire on the demonstrators and soldiers used blank rounds and teargas to control the crowd.

It was unclear whether other security forces were present.

Later, tens of thousands of cheering Islamists gathered near a mosque in a Cairo suburb where they were addressed by Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie, free to address them despite reports on Thursday that he had been arrested.

Badie, like some other leaders, pledge that it was worth "our lives" to restore Mursi to the presidency. But Brotherhood officials have also insisted they will not resort to violence."

The Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader told followers to continue protesting until return of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen was wounded Friday, while covering the violence in Cairo.

The Associated Press provided raw footage of clashes between opponents of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and his supporters that continued on Friday night in Alexandria, as Islamists across the country took to the streets demanding his reinstatement:

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