Mohamed Morsi loyalists in front of the High Constitutional Court (Photo: AP)
A protest by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi – on trial Monday – at the headquarters of Cairo's Supreme Constitutional Court has swelled from hundreds to seceral thousands, effectively blocking a major thoroughfare in southern Cairo.
The protest has completely halted traffic in the vicinity of the court, on the main road connecting Cairo's upscale district of Maadi to the centre of the capital.
According to Al-Ahram's Arabic news website, several rallies have made their way to the location and security officials have dispatched extra units to reopen the road, potentially causing clashes between protesters and police.
Elsewhere, Cairo's streets have been relatively empty on Monday morning.
Morsi, who was ousted from the presidency in July by the military after mass protests against him, is on trial for inciting the murder of protesters at the presidential palace during demonstrations in December 2012. Fourteen other senior Muslim Brotherhood figures and Islamists are facing the same charges.
Security concerns had been raised in the past few days over concerns that pro-Morsi protests may spiral into clashes with security forces on the first day of the trial of the deposed president.
Security forces have closed off Tahrir Square in downtown and Rabaa El-Adawiya Square in eastern Cairo, where a large sit-in in support of Morsi was violently dispersed last August, in order to prevent protests being held in the key locations.
Checkpoints and armoured police vehicles have been deployed in both areas and additional forces were stationed at government buildings, embassies, churches, banks and other facilities.
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