Hundreds of protesters marched in Cairo on Friday to mourn Omar Salah, a 10-year-old sweet potato seller who was accidentally shot by an army soldier manning a US embassy security checkpoint last week.

Demonstrators marched from Talaat Harb Square to Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, chanting against Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, who came to power in the country’s first democratic elections last year.

The participants held huge flags bearing the pictures of some of the protesters who have died in the recent wave of violence to hit Egypt, chanting: “Down, down with Mori’s rule.”

On Friday afternoon, the military prosecution decided to detain for 15 days the army soldier who had killed Salah, pending investigations.

Earlier on Thursday, Egyptian human rights activists and political movements called on people to take part in a symbolic public funeral on Friday in Tahrir Square.

Also on Thursday, military spokesman Ahmed Ali issued a formal apology for the unintentional killing of Salah, stressing that Egypt’s armed forces remained committed to following the correct legal procedures.

Since the marking of the second anniversary of the January 25 revolution, Egypt has seen a wave of violent clashes that have left at least 59 killed and hundreds injured.