Legitimacy Alliance calls for protests against ‘massacre’

The National Alliance to Support Legitimacy called on Egyptians to join protesters at Rabea al-Adaweya and Nahda Square to put an end to the “massacre,” the Freedom and Justice’s online portal reported.

Essam al-Erian, deputy head of the Freedom and Justice Party — the Muslim Brotherhood’s political arm — said that “hundreds of martyrs will fall” but the protesters’ resolve will not be broken “so that we can live free.”

The alliance is a coalition of Islamist parties and movements who have been calling for the reinstatement of deposed President Mohamed Morsi since he was removed from office on July 3 by an army ultimatum prompted by mass protests against his rule.

Ahmed Gamal, the assistant of Brotherhood spokesperson Gehad al-Haddad, says that most of the Brotherhood leadership is outside of the Rabea al-Adaweya sit-in, because their presence would “endanger” other protesters. Some leaders, including Salah Soltan and Osama Yassin, he added, remain inside to coordinate efforts.

Security forces began early Wednesday to disperse the sit-ins at Rabea al-Adaweya and Giza’s Nahda Square which have been calling for Morsi’s reinstatement for more than a month.

The field hospital at Rabea al-Adaweya reported over 120 deaths and 5,000 injured, according to the FJP online portal.

Mostafa el-Khatib, media coordinator at the Rabea al-Adaweya sit-in, claimed that snipers were shooting at protesters from the surrounding buildings in Nasr City. He described the security forces as seeking to carry out “genocide against the people of Rabea.”

The ministry has said it has only used tear gas so far.

He said the ministry did not execute a phased plan to disperse the sit-ins as it had previously announced. Special forces began the attack on the sit-in a little after 6 am on Wednesday using live ammunition and tear gas, he said.

Official state media has reported that two security personnel have been killed in Rabea.

The ministry has said that the sit-in at Nahda Square in Giza has been fully dispersed with more than 30 arrests made and no reports of deaths. Some protesters were reported to have fled to the nearby Orman Gardens and Cairo University.

Heba Hassan, media coordinator at the Nahda sit-in, told Mada Masr that hundreds of protesters are hiding inside the university grounds. She says that Central Security Forces stormed the sit-in at 7 am, removing tents and firing tear gas and live ammunition. 

She says some protesters who fled to Giza Square are regrouping there.

Speakers on the stage at Rabea al-Adaweya reiterated calls for people to take to the streets and “defend religion,” and announced that marches were already on their way. Speakers also called on human rights groups as well as the media to observe the “massacre.”

Meanwhile, the alliance called on supporters of Morsi to gather at Al-Qaed Ibrahim mosque in Alexandria.