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| Violence flares in Egypt on anniversary of revolution | Violence flares in Egypt on anniversary of revolution |
| (8 days later) | |
| Clashes broke out in several Egyptian cities on Friday, as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the country's Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi – exactly two years after the start of the 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak. | Clashes broke out in several Egyptian cities on Friday, as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the country's Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi – exactly two years after the start of the 2011 revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak. |
| Street battles erupted in Cairo, Alexandria, the port city of Suez and also in Port Said. Five people were shot dead in Suez, it was reported, and one of the dead was a member of the security forces. | Street battles erupted in Cairo, Alexandria, the port city of Suez and also in Port Said. Five people were shot dead in Suez, it was reported, and one of the dead was a member of the security forces. |
| Arsonists attacked at least two state-owned buildings as symbols of government were targeted. An office used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party was also torched. | Arsonists attacked at least two state-owned buildings as symbols of government were targeted. An office used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party was also torched. |
| By evening the interior ministry estimated that at least 280 civilians and 55 security personnel had been hurt in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez as police fired teargas and protesters pelted them with stones. | By evening the interior ministry estimated that at least 280 civilians and 55 security personnel had been hurt in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez as police fired teargas and protesters pelted them with stones. |
| For many on the streets of Cairo there was a painful sense of deja vu. "There's no military dictatorship any more, but there are the beginnings of a theocratic one," said Karim Abadir, a senior member of the Free Egyptians – a liberal opposition party – who had set up a tent in the centre of Tahrir Square. | For many on the streets of Cairo there was a painful sense of deja vu. "There's no military dictatorship any more, but there are the beginnings of a theocratic one," said Karim Abadir, a senior member of the Free Egyptians – a liberal opposition party – who had set up a tent in the centre of Tahrir Square. |
| Hisham Abdel-Latif, another protester who took part in one of several feeder marches that snaked their way towards Tahrir from the Cairene suburbs, said Egyptians were "now ruled by a gang that is exactly the same as the Mubarak gang, except they now have beards". | Hisham Abdel-Latif, another protester who took part in one of several feeder marches that snaked their way towards Tahrir from the Cairene suburbs, said Egyptians were "now ruled by a gang that is exactly the same as the Mubarak gang, except they now have beards". |
| Violence broke out in the early hours of the morning, as police burned down two tents in Tahrir Square. For much of the day, police and protesters then took it in turns to lob chunks of rubble over two makeshift walls built to protect the interior ministry from attack. | Violence broke out in the early hours of the morning, as police burned down two tents in Tahrir Square. For much of the day, police and protesters then took it in turns to lob chunks of rubble over two makeshift walls built to protect the interior ministry from attack. |
| One of the stone-throwers, Karim Ali, said it was revenge for the protesters killed by police since 2011. "The police are behaving the same as they did during the Mubarak years," he said. | One of the stone-throwers, Karim Ali, said it was revenge for the protesters killed by police since 2011. "The police are behaving the same as they did during the Mubarak years," he said. |
| Morsi may be Egypt's first democratically elected president, but many Egyptians fear he has only the interests of Islamists at heart. | Morsi may be Egypt's first democratically elected president, but many Egyptians fear he has only the interests of Islamists at heart. |
| In particular, the opposition was incensed by the way he bypassed judicial protocols in November to push through a new constitution that the left sees as the first step towards Islamic law. In his defence, Morsi's allies claimed it was a clumsy but well-meant attempt to create long-term democratic stability. | In particular, the opposition was incensed by the way he bypassed judicial protocols in November to push through a new constitution that the left sees as the first step towards Islamic law. In his defence, Morsi's allies claimed it was a clumsy but well-meant attempt to create long-term democratic stability. |
| Many also blame Morsi for failing to tackle Egypt's creaking infrastructure – over 70 Egyptians have died in train accidents since December – and its dire economic predicament. Foreign reserves have fallen drastically in recent weeks. | Many also blame Morsi for failing to tackle Egypt's creaking infrastructure – over 70 Egyptians have died in train accidents since December – and its dire economic predicament. Foreign reserves have fallen drastically in recent weeks. |
| "I'm here to get rid of Morsi," said Moustapha Magdi, an unemployed commerce graduate on a march from Giza. "First Mubarak, then Tantawi, now Morsi. We are only ruled by bastards." | "I'm here to get rid of Morsi," said Moustapha Magdi, an unemployed commerce graduate on a march from Giza. "First Mubarak, then Tantawi, now Morsi. We are only ruled by bastards." |
| Magdi criticised Morsi's failure to prosecute members of the military who killed Egyptians during and since the revolution. | Magdi criticised Morsi's failure to prosecute members of the military who killed Egyptians during and since the revolution. |
| "Where are these people? They are outside. They are not in prison. There is no justice," he said. | "Where are these people? They are outside. They are not in prison. There is no justice," he said. |
| According to a recent poll, Morsi's approval ratings rose to 63% in January, and even some protesters were ambivalent about blaming the president himself for the problems besetting Egypt. | According to a recent poll, Morsi's approval ratings rose to 63% in January, and even some protesters were ambivalent about blaming the president himself for the problems besetting Egypt. |
| "Morsi has not been given a chance," said El-Sherbeeni Ahmed Mohammed, a retired financial consultant. "A barren patch of land must be given time to become fertile." | "Morsi has not been given a chance," said El-Sherbeeni Ahmed Mohammed, a retired financial consultant. "A barren patch of land must be given time to become fertile." |
| "The protests, it's too much. It's stopping the tourists," said Mohammed Gooda, a 43-year-old taxi driver who claimed the constant political instability was damaging business. Tourism is down by 22% since 2010. "For people like me, the constitution is not very important. It is more important that we work and we feed our families." | "The protests, it's too much. It's stopping the tourists," said Mohammed Gooda, a 43-year-old taxi driver who claimed the constant political instability was damaging business. Tourism is down by 22% since 2010. "For people like me, the constitution is not very important. It is more important that we work and we feed our families." |
| Marching from Giza, 20-year-old Moustapha el-Nahaal gave Morsi his backing, and instead blamed his technocrat ministers. "I want [the prime minister] Hisham Qandil to go, along with all his team," said Nahaal, a 20-year-old commerce student and an activist for Strong Egypt, a moderate Islamist party. | Marching from Giza, 20-year-old Moustapha el-Nahaal gave Morsi his backing, and instead blamed his technocrat ministers. "I want [the prime minister] Hisham Qandil to go, along with all his team," said Nahaal, a 20-year-old commerce student and an activist for Strong Egypt, a moderate Islamist party. |
| "I'm supporting Morsi," said 65-year-old Hossam El-Deeb, a bearded mosque official, and former political prisoner under Mubarak. "The revolution has achieved a lot in psychological terms," he added, suggesting that it was too early to criticise Morsi for Egypt's dire economic predicament. | "I'm supporting Morsi," said 65-year-old Hossam El-Deeb, a bearded mosque official, and former political prisoner under Mubarak. "The revolution has achieved a lot in psychological terms," he added, suggesting that it was too early to criticise Morsi for Egypt's dire economic predicament. |
| A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood said that violent protests were not constructive at a time when the country needed to pull together. "The country is dying because of malpractice over 30 years of Mubarak's dictatorship," Gehad al-Haddad told the Guardian. "Now we have to co-operate, or continue falling down." | A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood said that violent protests were not constructive at a time when the country needed to pull together. "The country is dying because of malpractice over 30 years of Mubarak's dictatorship," Gehad al-Haddad told the Guardian. "Now we have to co-operate, or continue falling down." |
| Elsewhere in Cairo, protesters and supporters of the regime clashed outside a Muslim Brotherhood office. There was also violence in Port Said and outside the presidential palace in Heliopolis. | Elsewhere in Cairo, protesters and supporters of the regime clashed outside a Muslim Brotherhood office. There was also violence in Port Said and outside the presidential palace in Heliopolis. |
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