Muslim Brotherhood rally in support of President Morsi continues to grow
(1 Dec 2012) SHOTLIST 1. Various of thousands supporters of President Mohammed Morsi demonstrating in front of Cairo University waving Egyptian flags, holding pro-Morsi banners 2. Close of poster reading (Arabic) : "We are supporting Dr. Mohamed Morsi's decision" 3. Mid of women marching, chanting in support of Morsi 4. Protester on shoulder of men and chanting 5. Wide of protesters holding banners and waving Egyptian flags 6. Mid of protesters chanting, man beating drum 7. Close of woman holding Morsi picture 8. Medium of protesters waving flags 9. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Mamdouh Ismail, Salafist member of the dissolved parliament: "This is the main current among the Egyptian people, the supporters of President Morsi are the majority and they represent democracy and the minority should just express their opinion in opposing the president and not engage in tyranny." 10. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Abd Al Hameed Al-Sakran Protester, "They are against the Islam they don't want the Islamic law. We came today to achieve the Islamic law and to support Morsi's decision." 11. Wide of protest in front of Cairo University STORYLINE: Tens of thousands of Islamists waved Egyptian flags and hoisted portraits of President Mohammed Morsi in rallies nationwide Saturday to support his efforts to rush through a new draft constitution despite widespread opposition by secular activists and some in the judiciary. "The people support the president's decision!" chanted crowds outside Cairo University, where tens of thousands had gathered by midday. They held posters that read "Yes to stability" and "Yes to Islamic law." Protests in other parts of Egypt were expected to also attract large crowds in the evening. The rallies were dubbed "Shariyya and Shariah," Arabic for "legitimacy and Islamic law." The demonstrations - the largest turnout of Morsi supporters since he came to office in June - were seen as a test of strength for Islamists, seeking to counteract mass opposition protests denouncing the president's decision to seize near absolute power and the fast-tracking of the draft charter by an Islamist-led assembly. Morsi says he acted to prevent courts led by holdovers from Hosni Mubarak's ousted regime from delaying a transition to democracy. But his decision last week to put himself above judicial oversight has plunged the country into turmoil and mobilised an increasingly cohesive opposition leadership of prominent liberal and secular politicians - a contrast to the leaderless youth uprising last year that toppled Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood organised Saturday's protests a day after the opposition in a bid to avoid conflict and violence after days of street skirmishes between protesters from both sides. On two occasions earlier in the week, hundreds of thousands of people, mostly liberal and secular forces, took part in protests opposing President Morsi's decrees. On Friday, up to 200,000 people packed the streets of Cairo alone, vowing to bring down the draft constitution and demanding the President repeal the decrees that neutralised the judiciary. The Brotherhood had originally said it would hold Saturday's rally in Tahrir Square, where the opposition has erected dozens of tents since Morsi issued his decrees last week, but changed their location to avoid confrontation. The group also said it cancelled its rally in the southern city of Luxor after clashes between rival camps broke out there Friday. The Islamists argue that the liberals do not represent the vast majority of Egyptians. Clashes sparked by the two-week old crisis have left two dead and hundreds injured. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
