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            Supporters, Opponents of President Morsi Clash in Cairo

   by Edward Yeranian

   Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi scuffled with opponents
   in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday in the worst violence since Egypt's
   new Islamist leader took office this year.
   Liberal and leftist groups had called Friday's protest to demand more
   action from Morsi after his first 100 days in office.
   The demonstration fell far short of the 'Million Man March' that
   organizers had been calling for. But large clusters of young men
   blocked traffic, shouted slogans for and against the president, and
   threw rocks at each other.
   Gunshots were fired during the skirmishes, but the shooting did not
   last long. Arab TV reported that a number of protesters were hit on the
   head by rocks. The health ministry said at least 12 people were
   wounded.
   Anger over Morsi move
   The street demonstrations came amid a political tug-of-war between the
   president and opposition parties over a decision by Morsi to remove
   Prosecutor General Abdel Maguid Mahmoud on Thursday.
   The removal followed a court acquittal of loyalists of ousted President
   Hosni Mubarak accused of organizing a brutal attack on protesters last
   year. Mahmoud was appointed by Mubarak.
   On the streets Friday, pro-Morsi supporters chanted that the "people
   want to cleanse the judiciary," while opponents shouted that the
   "people want to topple the president."
   One Morsi supporter said the judiciary needs to be purged of
   Mubarak-era appointees.
   "There should be a cleansing of the judiciary right away after the
   dismissal of the prosecutor general, so that there will be retribution
   for the blood of the martyrs who died for the revolution from the 25th
   of January up until the parliament incident," he said.
   Muslim Brotherhood supporters of the president tore down a makeshift
   platform in Tahrir Square that had been set up by liberal political
   parties which oppose him.
   "Protesters were on the stage and then suddenly we found President
   Morsi supporters attacking the stage and beating everyone," said
   government opponent Ashraf al-Said. "I come here today for the sake of
   Egypt, my country. I am not here for Morsi or other factions. What is
   going on here is unfair."
   Morsi under fire
   Egypt's Fraternity of Judges issued a statement in support of the fired
   prosecutor general.
   Egypt's president has the power to appoint the country's top judge, but
   not to fire him. Morsi appears to have skirted the process by
   appointing Mahmoud as Ambassador to the Vatican.
   Nancy Okail, director of Freedom House's Egypt office in Cairo, said
   that the acquittals are causing "obvious dismay" for President Morsi.
   But she said that does not give the president the legal authority to
   remove his prosecutor general.
   "The president does not have the right to dismiss the public prosecutor
   or any legislative authority unless there is a crime or there is a low
   case against him," she said. "The public prosecutor can resign, but he
   cannot be dismissed."
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/supporters-opponents-of-egypt-president-morsi-clash-in-cairo/1525560.html