Crowd of Protesters Swells to Tens of Thousands in Tahrir Square
Published at
MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images(CAIRO, Egypt) — Tens of thousands of Egyptian protesters gathered in Tahrir Square Tuesday, angered over President Mohammed Morsi’s self-declared assumption of broad powers and a rushed drafting by the president and Islamist allies of a new constitution that will be put on a national referendum.
President Morsi left the presidential palace as the crowd of protesters grew and began hurling stones and pulling down barricades. Riot police fired volleys of tear gas and retreated.
Critics say the new constitution could make Egypt more Islamic and doesn’t do enough to guarantee freedoms, particularly those pertaining to women. Egyptians will have a chance to vote on the new constitution in two weeks.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio