Members of the April 6 Youth Movement at Tahrir Square (Photo: Mai Shaheen)
The Egyptian interior ministry increases security presence around critical government buildings ahead of anti-government protests scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
Police presence has stepped up in Qasr El-Aini Street, where the Cabinet, the Shura Council and the House of Representatives headquarters are located. Police have barbed wire on hand in the back streets ready to secure the buildings.
The April 6 Youth Movement had called for mass 'Day of Rage' rallies for Saturday against President Mohamed Morsi, to mark their fifth anniversary and to demand that Prime Minister Hisham Qandil and Morsi-appointed Prosecutor-General Talaat Abdullah be sacked, in addition to the release of all political prisoners and restructuring the interior ministry.
The High Court in downtown Cairo was also cordoned off, where one of the marches will pass on its way to Tahrir Square.
A number of opposition groups and anti-Brotherhood Facebook pages have announced plans to participate in Saturday’s protests, which will start at 4pm from four different districts around Cairo, namely Mohandeseen, Shubra, Imbaba and Sayyeda Zeinab.
Egypt has seen a spate of violent anti-government protests since January.
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