Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie gave a speech Friday to hundreds of thousands of Mohamed Morsi supporters gathered at Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square in Cairo's Nasr City, urging them to remain in the squares until the ousted president is reinstated.

"Thank God for this crowd which represents all of Egypt with all its different ages and directions...tell the world listen. To all people of Egypt, God is our witness and God is great," Badie said.

Speaking to the crowds, he said "you have lived together and sacrificed together and your brothers before you have sacrificed tens of years in prison and were killed opposing the Zionists, the British and oppressive rulers. The great people of Egypt will remain by their rights and their rights will not be wasted."

Badie stressed he was not arrested as the media had claimed earlier nor did he escape. The Brotherhood's lawyer Mustafa El-Demeiry also denied a report by AP that Badie had been arrested in Egypt's Marsa Matrouh governorate near the Libyan border.

"These are all lies. We are not escapers. We are revolutionaries," he said, as the crowds cheered.

"Free revolutionaries will continue their path," he chanted, as the demonstrators echoed the chant.

"People of Egypt, those gathered in all its squares, the Brotherhood has lived with you and you with them and they served you," Badie said talking to the nation.

"Morsi is my president, your president and the president of all Egyptians," he said defiantly.

"Morsi, Morsi," Badie shouted repeatedly as protesters joined in chant.

"God, you are the witness, all these people have gone out in the streets to support your religion and free Egypt from attempts to steal its revolution. We will remain in all the squares to protect our elected President Mohamed Morsi."

Directed to the helicopter hovering above, Badie said "take pictures and transmit."

Addressing the Egyptian army, Badie said "to Egypt’s great army, we are the ones who protect your back and you protect us from our enemies. Do not shoot us; you are more noble than that and more dear to us."

"The Muslim Brotherhood and its jihadist allies have been victims of military trials more than anyone. We have tolerated the prisons and now, [member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces]

General Mohamed El-Assar said we [the armed forces] will stay out of politics and here he is again mingling with politics," he said.

"I say our revolution is peaceful and will remain peaceful," he assured.

"With God’s will, our peacefulness is stronger than guns or tanks. I call on the army to return to the arms of the people. Egypt will not know military rule again if God wills."

"Our stand will never change. We are people of principle and we will stay with our peacefulness stronger than bullets. God stands with those who believe."

Badie criticised Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayeb for his attendance in Wednesday's meeting where General Commander of the Armed Forces Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced the removal of

Mohamed Morsi as president, saying El-Tayeb should not speak on behalf of Egypt's Muslims.

Many protesters chanted "null" and "void" upon hearing the name of Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam.

"No one can talk on behalf of Muslims or Christians," Badie said, also warning Pope Tawadros II of getting involved in politics.

"To the Pope: Don’t speak on behalf of Copts, you’re only a religious symbol!"

Badie further went on to slam the closure of Islamic-run television channels, which went off air shortly after El-Sisi's televised speech on Wednesday.

"Egypt has a free elected president that did not close any channels. After the coup, how many Islamist channels have been shut down?"

Addressing the army, he said "come back to the arms of your people. Do not defend one faction. The Egyptians are many factions and you have to defend them all"

"I tell our nation’s Christian companions, some Christians voted for Morsi, and some didn’t but when the results were announced Morsi became president for all," he said assuring Egypt’s Christians.

"Your pact to your president is a fulfilment to the honour of [our] military," he added.

Badie reiterated his statements to the armed forces, adding "we tried military rule and we will not allow it again."

"We will not give up on this revolution or return to the older regime or to military rule," he stressed.

"Go to all of Egypt’s squares and demand Mohamed Morsi back," he urged the supporters.

Badie's fiery speech came hours after clashes erupted at the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo's Heliopolis district between demonstrators and armed forces, leaving at least one killed and as thousands of Morsi supporters demonstrated across Cairo and in the northern cities of Alexandria, Beheira and the Upper Egyptian city of Minya.

Ahmed Sobei of the Muslim Brotherhood told Ahram Online on Friday that protests in support of former president Mohamed Morsi are designed to increase the pressure for a political solution to the current crisis.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/75797.aspx