Brotherhood claims nationwide protests

The outlawed Muslim Brotherhood said it had mobilized dozens of protests and marches Friday in governorates across Egypt, including a pro-Morsi “marathon,” to oppose the inauguration of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as Egypt’s president Sunday.

Police and military have deployed in front of state and security institutions in anticipation of the marches, the website of the state-owned daily Al-Ahram reported. The Middle East News Agency said dozens armored vehicles were deployed in the area surrounding Tahrir Square. Rabea al-Adaweya Square, which was host to a large protest camp until security forces attacked it last August, killing hundreds, also was a site of reinforced security presence. Last month, protesters burned down a monument that the military had erected in the square in memory of the violent sit-in dispersal.

The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy, a Brotherhood-affiliated group that organizes many of the street movements and events supporting Brotherhood causes, was a key organizer of the sit-ins, and called for “a revolutionary week in honor of the martyrs, under the title of 'the military thinks it's their own backyard'.”

The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party listed dozens of protests across governorates, ranging from dozens to “thousands.” The figures could not be independently verified. Most protest photos consist of pictures of yellow “Rabea” banners and photos of Morsi in a group of mostly men. One of the protest photos featured a so-called “marathon” in Kafr al-Sheikh Governorate.

Ousted President Mohamed Morsi had addressed “the proud and patriotic people of Egypt and all revolutionaries” in a letter published Thursday ahead of the protests, but did not mention any specific mobilization. The letter focused instead on encouraging “peaceful revolt” against the “putschist.”

Morsi was ousted after mass protests against his rule by the military, then headed by Sisi. The field marshal, who has since resigned from the Armed Forces to run for president, is referred to by Brotherhood sympathizes as “the coup leader.”

He won a election held between May 26 and 28 with nearly 97 percent of the vote, handily defeating leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi. Foreign election monitors expressed reservations about the election process and the fairness of the playing field.