Small group blamed for Egypt chaos

NEW: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy gives army authority to arrest civilians Morsy's top aide says troops have been deployed ahead of the vote In CNN interview, the aide blamed the upheaval on businessmen and the media The opposition is calling for new, nationwide protests ahead of Saturday's vote Read a version of this story in Arabic. Cairo (CNN) -- A top aide to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy blamed a small but powerful minority for the political upheaval that has plagued the country ahead of a planned constitutional referendum. The statements are the latest in a volley of accusations between Morsy's supporters and opponents, and they highlight a political crisis that at times has spilled into the streets, prompting the president to deploy troops and tanks to protect government buildings. "You have the majority of the poor people, the simple, definitely for the president and for the constitution," Muhammad Rifaa al-Tahtawi, Morsy's chief of staff, told CNN on Sunday. "You have a majority among the elite who are not for this constitution. Businessmen, media people. They are definitely a small minority, but powerful minority." An Egyptian army soldier patrols outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Monday, December 10, in Cairo. The Egyptian political crisis erupted last month when President Mohamed Morsy issued an edict allowing himself to run the country unchecked until the drafting of a new constitution. Members of the Egyptian opposition gather for a protest outside the presidential palace on Sunday, December 9, in Cairo. The palace has been the scene of violent clashes pitting thousands of protesters -- for and against Morsy. Guy Fawkes masks are displayed by a street vendor in front of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo on December 9. The masks depict Fawkes, a rebel executed in England's Gunpowder Plot seeking to blow up the House of Lords in the early 1600s. Egyptian army engineers and soldiers build a third line of concrete blocks outside of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo in preparation for more protests on December 9. An Egyptian protester sweeps the street near army tanks deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on 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. 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But al-Tahtawi dismissed the threat, saying the issue would be decided by the people. "If we do not manage to come to terms, let us go to the people," he said. Even so, Morsy has authorized the army to help maintain security ahead of the vote, giving it the power to arrest civilians. Al-Tahtawi told CNN the army will work with police to protect voters and government building's during voting. "It is possible that we'll have problems. But if voters turn out en masse, I don't think there will be any violence," he said. The opposition, meanwhile, has called for a boycott of the vote. Last week, protesters marched almost every day on the presidential palace, which has been the scene 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. More than two dozen Muslim Brotherhood offices, as well as its headquarters in Cairo, have been attacked. 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. Anger about 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. Morsy, who is backed by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party, has refused to delay the referendum, saying a constitution is essential for the fledgling democracy. The opposition, meanwhile, says the document does not represent all Egyptians. The opposition has accused Islamists, predominantly the Muslim Brotherhood, of manipulating the poorer portions of the population, using a fear of God and religion to drive them to vote. In an interview with CNN, al-Tahtawi, who also is backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, disagreed with the opposition's characterization, describing it as "part of the disease of the elite." An independent judiciary has backed Morsy, finding that the referendum must be carried out on December 15 to meet a legal requirement. Morsy canceled the edict that gave him virtually unchecked powers over the weekend, though he did not roll back the directives he put in place before it. Among the steps he took was setting the date of the constitutional referendum. A coalition of Egyptian Islamic parties, including the Brotherhood, says it rejects any postponement of the vote. A countering coalition of Morsy's opponents, the National Salvation Front, called for protests Tuesday and Friday. CNN's Reza Sayah reported from Cairo, and Amir Ahmed from Atlanta. CNN's Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report.