 An Egyptian protester sweeps the street near army tanks deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Saturday, December 8, after continued protests overnight.  A sticker depicting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy reads "leave" on the ground near the presidential palace on December 8.  Egyptian soldiers take position on a road leading to the presidential palace on December 8.  A protester tries to climb over a barbed-wire fence as Egyptian soldiers stand guard during a demonstration near the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, December 7.  Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy and members of the Muslim Brotherhood shout during the funerals of fellow Morsy supporters at Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo on December 7.  Protesters angry over Morsy's decisions giving himself unchecked powers surround the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo after starting a fire inside the compound on Thursday, December 6.  Riot police form a line as anti-Morsy protesters surge around the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo on December 6.  An anti-Morsy protester shouts during a march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on December 6.  Protesters are blocked from approaching the the presidential palace by the Egyptian army on December 6 in Cairo.  Egyptian soldiers stand outside the presidential palace in Cairo after setting up barbed wire barricades on December 6.  Supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy protesters outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Wednesday, December 5, in Cairo.  Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsy supporters destroy tents of anti-Morsy protesters outside the presidential palace on December 5.  Morsy supporters carry an injured man to safety during clashes with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.  Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.  Egyptian riot police stand behind barbwire as thousands of Egyptian demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, December 4.  Tens of thousands of demonstrators encircled the presidential palace in Cairo after riot police failed to keep them at bay with tear gas on December 4.  An Egyptian woman waves a national flag as demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo on December 4.  A Morsy supporter waves a flag outside the Supreme Constitutional Court as hundreds of supporters of the president protest on Sunday, December 2, in Cairo, forcing judges to postpone a hearing on a constitutional panel at the heart of a deepening political crisis.  Supporters of Morsy pray outside the Supreme Constitutional Court on December 2.  A man kisses a portrait of Morsy during a gathering of thousands of Islamists in front of Cairo University on Saturday, December 1.  Thousands pray during a rally in support of Morsy in front of Cairo University on December 1.  An Egyptian man delivers a speech as protesters gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, November 30.  A man shouts as protesters gather in Tahrir Square on November 30.  A man holds a copy of the Quran and a cross in Tahrir Square on November 30.  Protesters run from Egyptian riot police during clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, November 28.  A protester carries a rock during clashes with police on Wednesday.  Egyptians carry a giant national flag as tens of thousands take part in a mass rally in Cairo on Tuesday, November 27, against a decree by President Mohamed Morsy granting himself broad powers.  An Egyptian protester holds up a Quran and a figure of Christ on the cross during Tuesday's demonstration.  Protesters continue to rally in Tahrir Square on Tuesday.  An Egyptian protester attempts to throw back a tear gas canister on Tuesday during clashes with riot police in Omar Makram Street, off Tahrir Square.  Activists in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Monday, November 26, carry the coffin of Gaber Salah, an activist who died overnight after he was critically injured in clashes in Cairo. Salah, a member of the April 6 movement known by his nickname "Jika," was injured last week during confrontations between police and protesters on Cairo's Mohammed Mahmud street.  Thousands of activists attend the funeral of Gaber Salah on Monday.  Protesters clash with Egyptian police at Simon Bolivar Square on Sunday, November 25, in Cairo. Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood called nationwide demonstrations in support of Islamist President Mohamed Morsy in his showdown with the judges over the path to a new constitution.  Egyptian protesters hurl stones at police at Tahrir Square on Sunday.  Protesters gather at sit-in tents in Tahrir Square on Sunday.  Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy waves to supporters in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, November 23. Thousands of ecstatic supporters gathered outside the presidential palace to defend their leader against accusations from rival protesters that he has become a dictator.  Morsy supporters gather outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday. Morsy insisted that Egypt was on the path to "freedom and democracy," as protesters held rival rallies over sweeping powers he assumed that further polarized the country's political forces.  Protesters demonstrating against Morsy run from tear gas fired by Egyptian riot police during clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday.  Egyptian protesters throw rocks toward riot police on Friday  Egyptian supporters and opponents of Morsy clash in the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.  A man throws a rock during clashes in Alexandria on Friday.  Thousands of demonstrators march through the streets of Cairo to protest against Morsy on Friday.  Clashes rocked the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.                                           
Read a version of this story in Arabic. Cairo (CNN) -- Opponents of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy's constitutional referendum this week marshaled protesters Sunday to march on the presidential palace, raising fears of a repeat of the deadly clashes that have rocked Cairo in recent days. The call for demonstrations follows news that Morsy refused to delay the vote on a new constitution even as he rolled back a controversial edict that gave himself sweeping powers. The move was an attempt to stamp out a political crisis that has spilled into the streets, pitting the president's supporters and opponents against one another and raising questions about Morsy's ability to lead the fragile democracy. Almost as soon as Morsy adviser Mohamed Selim el-Awwa laid out the offer Saturday, many in the opposition dismissed it. "No, there is better democracy than that," Amr Moussa, former head of the Arab League and a key opposition figure, told CNN. "If the constitution lacks serenity and objectivity in certain of its articles, we have time, enough time to change those articles." Morsy has refused to delay the referendum, saying a constitution is essential for the fledgling democracy, while the opposition says the document does not represent all Egyptians. An independent judicial panel backed Morsy's announcement on Saturday, finding that the referendum must be carried out on December 15 to meet a legal requirement. A coalition of opposition groups, meanwhile, was scheduled to meet Sunday to discuss the Morsy's refusal to delay the referendum, said George Ishaq of the National Salvation Front, the coalition's umbrella group. At least five demonstrations were organized to begin Sunday in various parts of Cairo, with protesters then planning to march on the presidential palace. The palace has been the seen of violent clashes pitting thousands of protesters -- for and against Morsy. Egyptian authorities said at least six people have been killed in violent clashes in recent days, while the Muslim Brotherhood -- the group that backs Morsy -- has said eight of its members were killed. The crisis erupted in late November when Morsy issued the edict allowing himself to run the country unchecked until a new constitution was drafted, a move that sat uncomfortably with many Egyptians who said it reminded them of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Morsy had said the powers were necessary and temporary. But that promise did little to quiet the opposition. Anger at Morsy's move led to protesters reoccupying Tahrir Square, the scene of the Arab Spring uprising that saw Mubarak ousted in 2011. Thousands later protested outside the palace, where the opposition clashed with the Muslim Brotherhood. The anger only grew when the Islamist-dominated Constitutional Assembly pushed through a draft despite the objections of the secular opposition, including some members who walked out in protest. Tens of thousands of protesters -- for and against Morsy -- took to the streets. A coalition of Egyptian Islamic parties, including the Brotherhood, rejects any postponement in the constitutional referendum, the Islamic Forces Alliance announced Saturday on the Brotherhood website. CNN's Reza Sayah reported from Cairo, and Amir Ahmed from Atlanta. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report.   |
12/09/2012
Egypt's Morsy refuses to delay vote
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