Clashes near Egypt’s presidential palace

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi

Published Dec 4, 2012

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Cairo - Egyptian riot police fired teargas at protesters demonstrating against President Mohamed Morsi near the presidential palace in Cairo on Tuesday and demonstrators broke through police lines, Reuters witnesses said.

Several thousand protesters had gathered near the walls of the palace in what they called “last warning” protests against Islamist leader Morsi, who angered opponents with a November 22 decree that expanded his powers.

“The people want the downfall of the regime,” chanted some demonstrators.

Eight protesters were injured in the clashes, a security source said. Some activists attacked a police armoured vehicle, beating its driver, as security forces gathered inside the palace.

Liberals, leftists, Christians and others have accused Morsi of staging a dictatorial power grab to push through a constitution drafted by an assembly packed with Islamists. A referendum on the draft constitution is due to take place on December 15.

“We are here to tell the president we are against dictatorship and ask him to cancel the dictator decree and reform the constitutional assembly to make it more representative,” said protester Ihab Shawki. - Reuters

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