Anti-Mubarak protesters shout slogans against government and military rules after the verdict of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's trial, around Abdel Moneim Riad square in downtown Cairo November 29, 2014 (Photo: Reuters)
Rival Islamist and revolutionary groups have vowed to protest this week against the verdict clearing former president Hosni Mubarak, while refusing to coordinate with each other.
The Constitution Party, Strong Egypt Party, Bread and Freedom Party, April 6 Youth Movement, Youth for Justice and Freedom and Resistance student movement announced a "revolutionary week" at a press conference on Sunday.
They demanded revolutionary trials for all those responsible for corruption and the killing of Egyptians by members of the Mubarak regime.
Meanwhile, the National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL) - an Islamist anti-government group led by the banned Muslim Brotherhood – called for mass protests on Tuesday, dubbing the demonstrations "God is Great… One Hand."
Around three thousand people – from both groups – demonstrated against the court verdict on Saturday evening in Tahrir Square, the same site where millions of Egyptians protested against Mubarak's 30-years of autocratic rule and toppled him in 2011.
Saturday's protests saw disagreements between the two groups before police arrived to forcibly disperse the demonstration under the provisions of the protest law, killing two protesters.
In their press conference, the pro-revolution groups were clear about their refusal to coordinate with the Brotherhood or its supporters in their upcoming activities. They said the Brotherhood rejected having revolutionary trials for Mubarak regime figures in 2011/12.
Strong Egypt Party spokesman Mohamed El-Qassas told Ahram Online that their activities would include stationary demonstrations and other events. However, he said they would not take any action on Tuesday when the NASL is expected to be on the streets.
The NASL usually stages many small separate demonstrations in narrow streets across Egyptian cities, in order to avoid the police.
Pro-revolution groups were ardent opponents of the Brotherhood and protested against them and president Mohamed Morsi – who hails from the group – during the 30 June 2013 demonstrations that ended with Morsi's deposition.
Both groups also protested on university campuses on Sunday. The groups included April 6 Youth Movement, Resistance Movement, and Freedom for the Brave and were mainly active at Cairo and Ain Shams universities. The NASL also staged marches at other campuses – where it has been already active at weekly protests against the government.
On Sunday afternoon, security forces dispersed a small protest at Abdel-Moneim Riad Square near Tahrir Square.
On Saturday, a court dropped charges against Mubarak over the killing of protesters in 2011 and acquitted him of corruption charges.
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