Violence flares on anniversary of Egypt uprising
- 11 years ago
Protesters marking the second anniversary of the Egyptian revolution square up to riot police in Alexandria - before things quickly turn ugly.
Skirmishes broke out near local government offices as protesters pelted police with stones. Police responded with tear gas.
Nine people were wounded by birdshot pellets, according to medical and security sources.
The anniversary of the revolution, which toppled former president Hosni Mubarak and ushered in an Islamist president in June, has highlighted Egypt's bitter divisions as the country also grapples with an economic crisis.
In Cairo, thousands marched towards Tahrir Square, the iconic epicenter of the revolt, protesting, what they called, the betrayal of the revolution by the Islamists.
Among them: opposition leaders Mohamed El Baradei and Hamdeen Sabbahi, who also called for an overhaul of the recently approved constitution.
Sabbahi, the Nasserist candidate who narrowly missed out in the presidential elections, said their revolution was "still ongoing."
He called for social justice and dignity for all Egyptians.
"We will not allow one faction to monopolise power and thus we reject a Muslim Brotherhood State," he added.
The Brotherhood, which dismisses much of the criticism as unfair, decided against mobilising in the streets for the anniversary to avoid further confrontations.
Skirmishes broke out near local government offices as protesters pelted police with stones. Police responded with tear gas.
Nine people were wounded by birdshot pellets, according to medical and security sources.
The anniversary of the revolution, which toppled former president Hosni Mubarak and ushered in an Islamist president in June, has highlighted Egypt's bitter divisions as the country also grapples with an economic crisis.
In Cairo, thousands marched towards Tahrir Square, the iconic epicenter of the revolt, protesting, what they called, the betrayal of the revolution by the Islamists.
Among them: opposition leaders Mohamed El Baradei and Hamdeen Sabbahi, who also called for an overhaul of the recently approved constitution.
Sabbahi, the Nasserist candidate who narrowly missed out in the presidential elections, said their revolution was "still ongoing."
He called for social justice and dignity for all Egyptians.
"We will not allow one faction to monopolise power and thus we reject a Muslim Brotherhood State," he added.
The Brotherhood, which dismisses much of the criticism as unfair, decided against mobilising in the streets for the anniversary to avoid further confrontations.