UPDATE: Thousands of Brotherhood supporters demand 'judicial purge' at Egypt's High Court

Ahram Online, Friday 19 Apr 2013

Heeding the Muslim Brotherhood's call for protests, thousands of protesters gather in front of Cairo's High Court to demand 'judicial purge', hundreds protest at Alexandria's Sidi Gaber Square

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Hundreds of protesters demanding purging of judiciary in front of Egypt's high court (Photo: Mai Shaheen)

Thousands of protesters have gathered in front of Egypt’s High Court on Friday to demand the cleansing of all state institutions of corrupt figures.

The call to protest by the Muslim Brotherhood is also demanding the purging of the Egyptian judiciary, retrieving of Egypt's stolen funds, and holding to account those responsible for the killing of protesters during the January 25 Revolution.

A big banner has been hung on one of the court’s gates, which reads "the people demand," listing the goals of the protest underneath it. Vendors are also selling the flags of Egypt and Muslim Brotherhood.

Protesters chanted "The people want the purging of the judiciary" and "Our judiciary, where is justice and neutrality?"

Protesters also chanted in favour of the Brotherhood, "Islamic Islamic, despite of the thieves, despite of the seculars."

The protest, which kicked off in the morning, has seen a rise in participants following Friday prayers.

During the Friday prayer sermon in front of the High Court, Sheikh Osama Moemen stressed on the need for retrying several political figures of the former regime.

"The purging of judiciary is a must, so we can put an end to the ‘acquittal for all’," added Moemen, referring to the recent acquittals of several Mubarak-era officials.

Moemen also prayed for God to spare him of "the wickedness of liberals and seculars."

A march of hundreds has left from Al-Fath Mosque in Ramses Square heading to the Egypt's High Court.

Groups participating in Friday’s rallies include the Salafist Front Al-Asala Party, Hazem Salah Abu Ismail's Al-Raya Party, Al-Watan Party, Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya's Building and Development Party, the Reform Party and the People's Party.

Notably, Egypt's second largest Islamist group after the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafist El-Nour Party, has said it will not partake in the rallies.

Similar rallies have started taking place in Egypt’s second largest city of Alexandria as hundreds begin to gather in Sidi Gaber Square.

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