Tanks are shown outside the presidential palace in Cairo after deadly overnight clashes.(Photo: Hassan Ammar, AP)
Story Highlights
- Morsi's supporters, opponents clashed near presidential palace
- Violence has calmed, but both sides appeared to be digging in for a long struggle
- Tahrir Square protesters say they don't fear military
12:07PM EST December 6. 2012 - CAIRO -- Opponents of President Mohammed Morsi remained in their tent city in Tahrir Square on Thursday while the Egyptian army deployed tanks outside the presidential palace to clear out demonstrations there.
The military was stationed at roads leading to the palace in the upscale Cairo district of Heliopolis following clashes in which five people were killed. Maj. Gen. Mohammed Zaki assured Egyptians that his forces were not taking sides.
"They will not be a tool to crush protesters and no force will be used against Egyptians," he said in comments carried by the official MENA news agency.
Only a few dozen people defied the military's order to clear the area around the palace. But hundreds of protesters in Tahrir Square a few miles away said they did not believe they would face military interference.
"We don't fear a military evacuation or feel the military will come here," said Nazem Nour El-Din, a writer for cinema and theater who has been in the tent-filled square for over a week.
Protesters are demanding that Morsi rescind decrees giving himself near-absolute power and withdraw a disputed draft constitution. They battled supporters of Morsi outside the palace in competing demonstrations this week that left five people dead and more than 600 people injured before the military was called in.
The Egyptian army sealed off the presidential palace with barbed wire and armored vehicles while inside the palace gates Morsi met with members of his Cabinet.
"I don't think the military will come because they will stand beside the authority, and the authority is coming from the people," said Abanoub Attif, 18, wearing an Egyptian flag around his shoulders.
On Thursday, the square remained covered in protesters' tents two weeks after Morsi self-issued a controversial decree that gave him widespread control.
Ragai Farouk said the military will not interfere in the sit-in because it does not want to take sides in a political dispute.
"They will not be involved in political issues ever again," said Farouk, sitting in the square with his friends.
The presidential palace, however, "is a symbol of the city and besides, clashes happened there yesterday so it is their duty to secure it," he said.
Protesters said the real threat to them are supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group whose political party is the one to which Morsi belongs.
"Since yesterday we've expected a visit by the Muslim Brotherhood to Tahrir," El-Din said.
Morsi's Cabinet said the president spent the day discussing ways to calm the situation and "preserve the gains of the revolution." Egypt has seen sporadic clashes during the nearly two years of political turmoil after the overthrow of dictator Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.
Morsi was elected in June after a narrow victory in Egypt's first free presidential elections. But some who supported him have jumped to the opposition after he issued decrees on Nov. 22 that put him above oversight and a draft charter was later rushed through by his Islamist allies despite a walkout by Christian and liberal factions.
Four of Morsi's advisers resigned Wednesday, joining two other members of his 17-member advisory panel who have abandoned him since the unrest began.
Thousands of Morsi supporters had camped outside the palace Wednesday after driving away opposition activists who had been staging a sit-in. The Brotherhood-led demonstrators had erected metal barricades and manned checkpoints with rocks and empty glass bottles overnight but withdrew from the area by Thursday afternoon.
"I don't want Morsi to back down," said Khaled Omar, a Brotherhood supporter who had camped out. "We are not defending him. We are defending Islam, which is what people want."
Other Brotherhood supporters outside the palace accused opposition protesters of being Mubarak loyalists or foot soldiers in a coup attempt.
"They want to take over power in a coup. They are conspiring against Morsi and we want him to crack down on them," said one, Ezzedin Khoudir.
On Wednesday, thousands of Morsi supporters descended on the palace area and chased away a few hundred opposition protesters who had been staging a peaceful sit-in outside the palace's main gate. Clashes erupted with the two sides using rocks, sticks and firebombs.
State television quoted the Health Ministry as saying Thursday that five people were killed and 644 injured by beatings, gunshot wounds and tear gas inhalation.
"We raise Egypt's flag but they raise the Brotherhood flag. This is the difference," protester Magdi Farag said as he held the tri-colored national flag stained with blood from his friend's injury in the clashes the night before.
"We will not leave until he leaves," Farag said about the president.
Morsi has set a Dec. 15 date for a nationwide referendum to pass the constitution, which makes Islam the basis of laws.
Contributing: Associated Press
Protesters opposed to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi chant slogans near burning garbage at Tahrir Square on Wednesday.(Photo: Nasser Nasser, AP)
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