Clashes erupted outside the High Court between supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Morsy’s new constitutional declaration while the Judges Club held an emergency meeting inside.
Some supporters of the declaration shot off fireworks at the gates of the court, and police fired teargas at protesters after they attempted to storm the building.
The clashes began when protesters in favor of the constitutional declarations arrived at the court building, where opponents had gathered. Supporters started chanting “the people demand the execution of Abdel Maguid,” in reference to former Prosecutor General Mahmoud Abdel Meguid, who was attending the meeting inside.
Eyewitnesses said that people in civilian clothes threw teargas canisters at the protesters.
"We were standing before the court to support the general assembly [of the Judges Club] and were surprised to see a large number of people approaching us,” said one eyewitness. “We thought they are from the Ultras [hardcore football fan groups] or other groups to support us. We welcomed them and applauded for them, but we were surprised when they began attacking us with weapons and threw tear gas bombs at us."
The unnamed eyewitness stressed that security forces assigned to protect the building had withdrawn a few minutes before the attack, and when she asked them why, they said they were going to protect the inside of the building.
After the attack, the Central Security Forces went to 26 July Street, where clashes were ongoing, to separate rival demonstrators. The two groups initially each believed that the other group was comprised of Brotherhood supporters. When both groups realized that the other group was protesting the Brotherhood, they began to march again to the High Court gates at the corner of 26 July and Ramses Streets.
The Major General supervising the Central Security Forces, who refused to be named, told Egypt Independent that the teargas canisters were not thrown by the police, but by civilians who tried to assault protesters and storm the court. They were carrying different types of weapons, including shotguns, teargas and automatic weapons.
Member of the Shayfinkom (We See You) movement Dalia Sami, who was present inside the court gates, said that the attackers were likely Brotherhood members, saying that they are the only group objecting to the meeting inside the court.
Many other demonstrators accused the Muslim Brotherhood attacking protesters, but none of the eyewitnesses saw slogans of the group or its Freedom and Justice Party amid the banners and signs, nor did anyone see any prominent members from the group.
Sami confirmed that security forces were present in the court's external yard during the attack.
The Major General stressed that none of the attackers was arrested, and they were not able to identify them. He added that one witness claimed “bearded men” attacked the protesters.
