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Egypt protesters torch Muslim Brotherhood offices Egypt protesters torch Muslim Brotherhood offices
(35 minutes later)
Protesters in Egypt have set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices in several cities, according to state TV.Protesters in Egypt have set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices in several cities, according to state TV.
They were demonstrating against President Mohammed Mursi's decision to grant himself sweeping new powers. They were protesting against President Mohammed Mursi's decree granting himself sweeping new powers.
His decree states, among other things, that the president's decisions cannot be revoked by any authority - including the judiciary. The decree states the president's decisions cannot be revoked by any authority - including the judiciary.
Rival rallies have been held across the country by supporters and opponents of Mr Mursi. Supporters and opponents of Mr Mursi have held rival rallies nationwide. The president said no-one could stand in the way of Egypt's march forward.
Offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood party were reportedly attacked in the cities of Port Said and Ismailia. Earlier reports of an attack on the office in Suez were denied. 'Mursi is Mubarak'
According to Egypt's state-run news agency, Mena, a hospital in Cairo has received three people injured in violence on the city's central Mohammed Mahmoud street. Offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood party have reportedly been attacked in the cities of Port Said and Ismailia. Earlier reports of an attack on the office in Suez were denied.
Clashes between rival demonstrations have also been reported in Alexandria. Anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters in the Mediterranean city stormed the offices of the group's Freedom and Justice Party, throwing out books and chairs.Clashes between rival demonstrations have also been reported in Alexandria. Anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters in the Mediterranean city stormed the offices of the group's Freedom and Justice Party, throwing out books and chairs.
'New Pharaoh' In Cairo, thousands of opponents of Mr Mursi heeded calls to protest against the decree in Tahrir Square.
Protesters were out on the street within hours of Mr Mursi's announcement on Thursday. Chants of "Mursi is Mubarak... revolution everywhere" rang out.
In addition to protecting the president's decisions, the decree also opens the way for a retrial of people convicted of killings during Egypt's 2011 uprising which toppled President Hosni Mubarak. Thousands of supporters of the president gathered outside the presidential palace, some holding up photographs of Mr Mursi.
Critics have denounced the move as a "coup against legitimacy". In an address at a mosque in a Cairo suburb on Friday, Mr Mursi said: "We are, God willing, moving forward, and no-one stands in our way.
"I fulfil my duties to please God and the nation and I take decisions after consulting with everyone," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying. "Victory does not come without a clear plan and this is what I have."
According to Egypt's state-run news agency, Mena, a hospital in Cairo has received three people injured in violence on Friday in the city's central Mohammed Mahmoud street.
In a joint news conference on Thursday, Sameh Ashour, head of a lawyers association, and key opposition figures Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa accused Mr Mursi of "monopolising all three branches of government" and overseeing "the total execution of the independence of the judiciary".In a joint news conference on Thursday, Sameh Ashour, head of a lawyers association, and key opposition figures Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa accused Mr Mursi of "monopolising all three branches of government" and overseeing "the total execution of the independence of the judiciary".
"We are calling on all Egyptians to protest in all of Egypt's squares on Friday," they said."We are calling on all Egyptians to protest in all of Egypt's squares on Friday," they said.
Mr ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote on his Twitter account that the president had "appointed himself Egypt's new pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences".Mr ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote on his Twitter account that the president had "appointed himself Egypt's new pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences".
But Mr Mursi's supporters say the move will protect Egypt's revolution. Thousands celebrated the decree in front of the Egyptian High Court in Cairo on Thursday night. Critics say the decree is a "coup against legitimacy".
But Mr Mursi's supporters say the move will protect Egypt's revolution.
Mahmoud Ghozlan, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood party, described it as "revolutionary and popular".Mahmoud Ghozlan, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood party, described it as "revolutionary and popular".
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says that after brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas over the Gaza crisis, Mr Mursi has won a new international prestige, and must believe this will help him weather the domestic storm.The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says that after brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas over the Gaza crisis, Mr Mursi has won a new international prestige, and must believe this will help him weather the domestic storm.
Mubarak retrial?Mubarak retrial?
Mr Mursi said his decree was aimed at "cleansing state institutions" and "destroying the infrastructure of the old regime". The new decree bans challenges to his decrees, laws and decisions, and says no court can dissolve the constituent assembly, which is drawing up a new constitution.
It bans challenges to his decrees, laws and decisions, and says no court can dissolve the constituent assembly, which is drawing up a new constitution. It also opens the way for a retrial of people convicted of killings during Egypt's 2011 uprising which toppled President Hosni Mubarak.
Mr Mursi also sacked chief prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud and ordered the retrial of people accused of attacking protesters in the uprising, which could lead to the retrial of Mubarak himself, who is serving a life sentence. Mr Mursi has sacked chief prosecutor Abdel Maguid Mahmoud and ordered the retrial of people accused of attacking protesters in the uprising, which could lead to the retrial of Mubarak himself, who is serving a life sentence.
Mr Mahmoud's acquittal of officers accused of involvement in attacks on protesters led to violent clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square in October, when supporters and opponents of Mr Mursi clashed. Mr Mahmoud's acquittal of officers accused of involvement in attacks on protesters led to violent clashes in Tahrir Square in October, when supporters and opponents of Mr Mursi clashed.
Thousands of protesters have returned to the streets around Tahrir Square over the past week demanding political reforms and the prosecution of officials blamed for killing demonstrators. The president had tried to remove Mr Mahmoud from his post by appointing him envoy to the Vatican. But Mr Mahmoud returned to work, escorted by judges and lawyers.
The president had tried to remove Mr Mahmoud from his post by appointing him envoy to the Vatican.
But Mr Mahmoud defied the Egyptian leader and returned to work, escorted by judges and lawyers.
New prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim is tasked with re-examining all the investigations led by Mr Mahmoud into the deaths of protesters, and re-trying people already acquitted in the case.New prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim is tasked with re-examining all the investigations led by Mr Mahmoud into the deaths of protesters, and re-trying people already acquitted in the case.
The declaration also gives the 100-member constituent assembly two additional months to draft a new constitution, to replace the one suspended after Mr Mubarak was overthrown.The declaration also gives the 100-member constituent assembly two additional months to draft a new constitution, to replace the one suspended after Mr Mubarak was overthrown.
The rewrite of the constitution, which was meant to be finished by December, has been plagued by lawsuits questioning the make-up of the constituent assembly.The rewrite of the constitution, which was meant to be finished by December, has been plagued by lawsuits questioning the make-up of the constituent assembly.
Once completed, the document is due to be put to a referendum. If it is approved, legislative elections will be held two months later.Once completed, the document is due to be put to a referendum. If it is approved, legislative elections will be held two months later.
Are you in Egypt? What do you think of President Mohammed Mursi's decree? Please share your comments and experiencesAre you in Egypt? What do you think of President Mohammed Mursi's decree? Please share your comments and experiences