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| Thousands of Egyptians Protest Plan for Charter | Thousands of Egyptians Protest Plan for Charter |
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| CAIRO — Riot police officers fired brief rounds of tear gas on Tuesday night at tens of thousands of demonstrators outside the presidential palace protesting the Islamist-backed draft constitution. It was the clearest evidence yet that the new charter has only widened the divisions that have plagued Egypt since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak nearly two years ago. | CAIRO — Riot police officers fired brief rounds of tear gas on Tuesday night at tens of thousands of demonstrators outside the presidential palace protesting the Islamist-backed draft constitution. It was the clearest evidence yet that the new charter has only widened the divisions that have plagued Egypt since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak nearly two years ago. |
| Eleven newspapers stopped publication for the day on Tuesday to protest limits on the new constitution’s protections for freedom of expression. At least three private television networks said they would go dark on Wednesday. By Tuesday night, demonstrators had also filled Tahrir Square and taken to the streets in Alexandria, Suez and several other Egyptian cities. | Eleven newspapers stopped publication for the day on Tuesday to protest limits on the new constitution’s protections for freedom of expression. At least three private television networks said they would go dark on Wednesday. By Tuesday night, demonstrators had also filled Tahrir Square and taken to the streets in Alexandria, Suez and several other Egyptian cities. |
| President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters say the constitution establishes a new democracy, not a theocracy. But while it does not impose religious rule, his opponents say, it does not preclude it, either. They say it contains major loopholes in individual liberties, could enable Muslim religious authorities to wield new influence and still leaves too much power in the hands of the president. | President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters say the constitution establishes a new democracy, not a theocracy. But while it does not impose religious rule, his opponents say, it does not preclude it, either. They say it contains major loopholes in individual liberties, could enable Muslim religious authorities to wield new influence and still leaves too much power in the hands of the president. |
| “It seeks to impose a one-sided religious extremist national identity, contrary to Egypt’s moderate character and openness to the world,” a coalition of secular opposition groups said Tuesday. | “It seeks to impose a one-sided religious extremist national identity, contrary to Egypt’s moderate character and openness to the world,” a coalition of secular opposition groups said Tuesday. |
| Still, the document promises an end to nearly two years of tumultuous transition, and the odds are against blocking its ratification in an up-or-down vote on Dec. 15, many in the opposition acknowledge. But Mr. Morsi’s opponents hope that their campaign to defeat the draft might at least narrow its margin of approval. | Still, the document promises an end to nearly two years of tumultuous transition, and the odds are against blocking its ratification in an up-or-down vote on Dec. 15, many in the opposition acknowledge. But Mr. Morsi’s opponents hope that their campaign to defeat the draft might at least narrow its margin of approval. |
| They hope to carry that momentum into parliamentary elections in two months, and hurt the Islamists’ chances at the polls. Last year Islamists won about three-quarters of the seats in the parliamentary elections, before a court dissolved the chamber. | They hope to carry that momentum into parliamentary elections in two months, and hurt the Islamists’ chances at the polls. Last year Islamists won about three-quarters of the seats in the parliamentary elections, before a court dissolved the chamber. |
| Protesters turned out on Tuesday for the third day in the last two weeks to protest against Mr. Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president and a former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Marchers used slogans recycled from the revolt against Mr. Mubarak against Mr. Morsi and the Islamists. “Bread, freedom and bring down the Brotherhood!” some chanted. “Shave your beard, show your disgrace, you will find that you have Mubarak’s face!” | Protesters turned out on Tuesday for the third day in the last two weeks to protest against Mr. Morsi, Egypt’s first freely elected president and a former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Marchers used slogans recycled from the revolt against Mr. Mubarak against Mr. Morsi and the Islamists. “Bread, freedom and bring down the Brotherhood!” some chanted. “Shave your beard, show your disgrace, you will find that you have Mubarak’s face!” |
| When the crowds reached the palace around 6 p.m., they pushed briefly against police barricades, and officers responded with short volleys of tear gas. But the riot police then retreated behind the palace walls, apparently to avoid further clashes. | When the crowds reached the palace around 6 p.m., they pushed briefly against police barricades, and officers responded with short volleys of tear gas. But the riot police then retreated behind the palace walls, apparently to avoid further clashes. |
| Two rows of riot police officers stood guard so Mr. Morsi’s motorcade could leave for his suburban home. “Coward!” they chanted. “Leave!” The crowd looted a guardhouse and covered the palace walls with graffiti mocking either Mr. Morsi, the Brotherhood, or other Islamists. | Two rows of riot police officers stood guard so Mr. Morsi’s motorcade could leave for his suburban home. “Coward!” they chanted. “Leave!” The crowd looted a guardhouse and covered the palace walls with graffiti mocking either Mr. Morsi, the Brotherhood, or other Islamists. |
| President Obama’s national security adviser, Tom Donilon, met Tuesday in Washington with his Egyptian counterpart, Essam el-Haddad, and emphasized “the need to move forward with a peaceful and inclusive transition that respects the rights of all Egyptians,” according to a White House spokesman. | President Obama’s national security adviser, Tom Donilon, met Tuesday in Washington with his Egyptian counterpart, Essam el-Haddad, and emphasized “the need to move forward with a peaceful and inclusive transition that respects the rights of all Egyptians,” according to a White House spokesman. |
| The protests did not suggest widespread defections from among core Morsi supporters. The crowd appeared more affluent than those at the usual Tahrir Square protests here, to say nothing of the Islamist rallies. There was an unusually high concentration of women, especially for an event after dark, and very few traditional Islamic headscarves. Interviews suggested a heavy representation from Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority, who fear marginalization under the Brotherhood. | The protests did not suggest widespread defections from among core Morsi supporters. The crowd appeared more affluent than those at the usual Tahrir Square protests here, to say nothing of the Islamist rallies. There was an unusually high concentration of women, especially for an event after dark, and very few traditional Islamic headscarves. Interviews suggested a heavy representation from Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority, who fear marginalization under the Brotherhood. |
| The relative affluence of the crowd “is a good thing,” said Farid Beshay, a 29-year-old Christian. “This is not a revolt of the poor. This is people coming to demand their rights.” | The relative affluence of the crowd “is a good thing,” said Farid Beshay, a 29-year-old Christian. “This is not a revolt of the poor. This is people coming to demand their rights.” |
| The newspapers that shut down for the day said their action was aimed specifically at the draft constitution’s failure to protect free expression. “You are reading this message because Egypt Independent objects to continued restrictions on media liberties, especially after hundreds of Egyptians gave their lives for freedom and dignity,” a short statement declared Tuesday morning on the Web site of Egypt Independent, the English-language sister publication of the country’s largest independent daily, Al Masry Al Youm. | The newspapers that shut down for the day said their action was aimed specifically at the draft constitution’s failure to protect free expression. “You are reading this message because Egypt Independent objects to continued restrictions on media liberties, especially after hundreds of Egyptians gave their lives for freedom and dignity,” a short statement declared Tuesday morning on the Web site of Egypt Independent, the English-language sister publication of the country’s largest independent daily, Al Masry Al Youm. |
| That paper and 10 others did not publish. Among other criticisms, analysts and human rights groups say the draft all but eviscerates its provisions for freedom of expression, in part by also expressly prohibiting “insults” to any living individual or to religious “prophets.” | That paper and 10 others did not publish. Among other criticisms, analysts and human rights groups say the draft all but eviscerates its provisions for freedom of expression, in part by also expressly prohibiting “insults” to any living individual or to religious “prophets.” |
| The draft charter also stipulates that a purpose of the news media is to uphold public morality and the “true nature of the Egyptian family,” and specifies that government authorization may be required to operate a television station or a Web site. | The draft charter also stipulates that a purpose of the news media is to uphold public morality and the “true nature of the Egyptian family,” and specifies that government authorization may be required to operate a television station or a Web site. |
| “The protection of freedom of expression is fatally undermined by all the provisions that limit it,” said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch who has studied the text. “On paper, they have not protected freedom of expression. It is designed to let the government limit those rights on the basis of ‘morality’ or the vague concept of ‘insult.’ ” | “The protection of freedom of expression is fatally undermined by all the provisions that limit it,” said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch who has studied the text. “On paper, they have not protected freedom of expression. It is designed to let the government limit those rights on the basis of ‘morality’ or the vague concept of ‘insult.’ ” |
| The Web site of the state newspaper Al Ahram on Tuesday reported that at least 60 of its own journalists had joined the protest marches — a sign that could be taken as a notable endorsement of the cause, or a measure of how much has already changed since Mr. Mubarak’s exit. | The Web site of the state newspaper Al Ahram on Tuesday reported that at least 60 of its own journalists had joined the protest marches — a sign that could be taken as a notable endorsement of the cause, or a measure of how much has already changed since Mr. Mubarak’s exit. |
Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo, and Peter Baker from Washington. | Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo, and Peter Baker from Washington. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: December 7, 2012 | |
Because of an editing error, | Because of an editing error, a picture caption on Tuesday with an article about protests in Cairo against an Islamist-backed draft constitution strongly supported by Egypt’s president, Mohamed Morsi, misidentified the site of one protest where a demonstrator was shown being hoisted aloft by the crowd. That gathering was outside the presidential palace, not in Tahrir Square. (As the caption correctly noted, another picture showing mostly women protesting was taken in the square.) |