Egypt: Protesters Break Through Presidential Palace Barricade
By VOR
Several hundred Egyptian protesters breached a concrete and metal barricade outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Tuesday, forcing back the soldiers manning it
There was no violent confrontation. The protesters pulled apart a high metal gate bar by bar and toppled concrete blocks with chains.
The rallies come just before Saturday’s constitutional referendum.
Several hundred protesters pulled apart concrete and metal barricades, forcing back soldiers maintaining security, AFP reported.
In preparation for planned opposition marches to the presidential palace, the compound has been surrounded with concrete blocks and ringed with tanks.
Earlier Tuesday protesters opposed to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi had attempted to break through metal barriers protecting the presidential palace. The demonstrators were met head on by hundreds of soldiers in riot gear, who stood behind the barriers to create a security perimeter around Morsi’s residence.
In light of the protests, the Egyptian army has been given the power to arrest citizens – a move which has fueled further anger among the opposition.
Demonstrators are angry at a recently drafted constitution, which they say ignores personal freedoms, disregards the rights of women and fails to properly represent all Egyptians.
