Muslim Brotherhood offices attacked in Egypt

PanARMENIAN.Net - Protesters in Egypt have set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices in several cities, BBC reported citing the state TV.

They were protesting against President Mohammed Mursi's decree granting himself sweeping new powers. The decree states the president's decisions cannot be revoked by any authority - including the judiciary.

Supporters and opponents of Mursi have held rival rallies nationwide. The president said no-one could stand in the way of Egypt's march forward.

Offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood party have reportedly been attacked in the cities of Port Said and Ismailia. Earlier reports of an attack on the office in Suez were denied.

Clashes between rival demonstrations have also been reported in Alexandria. Anti-Muslim Brotherhood protesters in the Mediterranean city stormed the offices of the group's Freedom and Justice Party, throwing out books and chairs.

In Cairo, thousands of opponents of Mursi heeded calls to protest against the decree in Tahrir Square. Chants of "Mursi is Mubarak... revolution everywhere" rang out.

Thousands of supporters of the president gathered outside the presidential palace, some holding up photographs of Mursi.

According to Egypt's state-run news agency, Mena, a hospital in Cairo has received three people injured in violence on Friday in the city's central Mohammed Mahmoud street.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote on his Twitter account that the president had "appointed himself Egypt's new pharaoh. A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences".