Protesters denied former Socialist Popular Alliance Party MP Abul Ezz al-Hariry entrance into the Tahrir Square Tuesday night because of his opposition to the reinstatement of Parliament.
Hariry told demonstrators that the square is for everyone, and some protesters took him into a building to protect him from attacks.
Hariry has filed a lawsuit before the State Council Administrative Court calling for the Shura Council to also be dissolved, and has stated his intention to file a suit against President Mohamed Morsy’s decision to recall the People’s Assembly, which was overruled by the Supreme Constitutional Court on Tuesday evening.
Thousands of protesters have gathered in Tahrir to support Morsy.
Morsy on Sunday issued a decree to reconvene the assembly, which had been dissolved by an SCC verdict on 14 June, and the assembly met on Tuesday. Tuesday evening, however, the SCC ruled to "halt" Morsy’s decree, saying the assembly remains dissolved. Under the supplementary constitutional declaration, the ruling military council acts as the legislature in the absence of the People’s Assembly.
The Muslim Brotherhood had called for Tuesday’s protest as a show of support for Morsy and against the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The April 6 Youth Movement is also participating in the protest.
Protesters held signs and led chants decrying military rule and the dissolution of Parliament and calling for the purge of state media. A group of protesters from Al-Azhar carried a banner reading, “Al-Azhar scholars with the Egyptian people until the goals of the revolution are achieved.”
Dozens of Muslim Brotherhood and Freedom and Justice Party members began gathering in the square Monday evening in preparation for Tuesday’s protest. The rally was initiated by the youth, FJP leader Helmy al-Gazzar told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
