Egyptian security forces swiftly put down scattered protests on Friday as an attempt by Islamists to hold the first major anti-government rallies in months fizzled, with at least three armies and a navy officers and two protesters killed in separate incidents. Associated Press was there:
The call for nationwide rallies to topple the government marked the first attempt in months to hold large protests in the face of a massive crackdown since the military’s ouster last year of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
Several mosques listed as gathering points by organizers remained largely empty. Small, scattered demonstrations by a few hundred protesters were quickly quashed by security forces
The three military officers were killed in separate shootings early Friday morning. The army officers were shot dead in Cairo while the navy officer was killed in Alexandria. After Friday prayers, two civilians were killed in the eastern Cairo neighborhood of Matariya, where security forces clashed with protesters, according to the Health Ministry.
Security forces had vowed to use “lethal force” and maintained a heavy presence from the early morning. Armored vehicles deployed across the city while cement blocks sealed off roads leading to security headquarters, the presidential palace, the Ministry of Defense and the main Cathedral. Army helicopters hovered overhead.
