3 killed, 40 arrested in pro-Morsi protests in Egypt

At least three people were killed and ten others injured on Friday during clashes across Egypt between supporters and opponents of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, official Al-Ahram news website said, Xinhua reports.At least one person was shot dead and another injured in the clashes in the northern city of Alexandria."Muslim Brotherhood members fired at residents who attempted to confront a march in Alexandria," Al-Ahram quoted General Nasser al- Abd, head of Alexandria's investigation department, as saying. The police dispersed the protests in Alexandria and arrested 40 protesters, the security official added.In Suez, two people were killed and seven others injured in clashes between Morsi's loyalists and security forces.Morsi was ousted in early July, 2013 by the military after mass protests against his one-year rule and his Brotherhood group.In mid-August 2013, the security dispersed two major pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo and Giza that left about 1,000 people dead. The police also arrested thousands of Morsi's supporters, including Brotherhood leaders. Ever since, Morsi's supporters have been holding recurrent protests against the ongoing leadership, calling for Morsi's reinstatement.Friday's protests came after the Egyptian interim government declared the Brotherhood as "a terrorist group" on Dec. 25, 2013.In the capital Cairo, several marches were held by Morsi's supporters in defiance of the government's decision and the recently-activated protest law that requires a prior security permission for holding protests. The protesters raised signs and shouted slogans against the military and the police, condemning Morsi's ouster and urging for boycotting the upcoming referendum on the new constitution, slated for January 14 and 15, which is meant to replace the one approved by Morsi in late 2012 during his rule.Clashes erupted between protesters and security men at Nasr City in Cairo and several towns in Giza, where the protesters set fire on one of the police vehicles.The security used tear gas bombs and finally managed to disperse the protesters and reopen the vital streets blocked by the marches, arresting other some 50 protesters in Cairo and Giza.The police dispersed similar marches at the governorates of Sharqiya, Menia, Ismailia and North Sinai and arrested 30 more protesters.On the other hand, Morsi's opponents held protests in Qalyubiya and Gharbiya in support of the military and the police in their " fight against terrorism."The anti-Brotherhood protesters voiced support for Defense Minister Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, calling him to run for president in the upcoming elections.ANN.Az