Egyptian security forces have dispersed a number of demonstrations around the country as pro-Brotherhood protesters organised scattered marches in nine cities to mark the first anniversary of the ouster of Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi.
The Anti-Coup Alliance claimed yesterday that three protesters were shot dead in Giza’s Al-Haram district when security forces dispersed protests, while a security source told the state-run Al-Ahram Arabic newspaper that one was killed and others were injured in clashes with security forces in Al-Haram district.
Authorities have reportedly arrested more than 150 supporters of ousted Islamist ex-president Mohamed Morsi yesterday during the protests, according to a security source.
The official said 157 people were arrested in the capital and eight other cities.
Authorities said they arrested another 39 people, linked to the Muslim Brotherhood wanted on previous charges.
The security forces had closed several squares in Cairo and Giza in anticipation of the demonstrations that was called for by The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL) to end what they described as a military coup that toppled the Islamist president from power.
On July 3 last year, Abdul Fatah el-Sisi, the leader of the army at that times with the participation of religious and political forces following a wide range of popular protests, removed President Morsi in an action considered by Morsi’s supporters as a ‘military coup’ and his opponents as a ‘popular revolution’.
The protests, called by a Muslim Brotherhood-led coalition as a “day of rage”.
A number of political and revolutionary powers, parties and movements refused to participate in today’s protests including el-Nour Party and April 6 Youth Movement.
Meanwhile, a series of homemade bombs went off throughout the day in Cairo, with two killed in the village of Keradasa, village in Giza governorate near Cairo.
In Alexandria, seven people have been injured in a massive explosion in Sidi Gaber train station.