Egyptian protesters vow an end to Morsi's decrees
CAIRO Egyptian police used tear gas on Sunday morning to disperse protesters in central Cairo who were demanding that President Mohammed Morsi rescind his new, near-absolute powers.
The clashes occurred on Cairo's Kasr el Eini street.
Several hundred protesters remained in nearby Tahrir Square, where a number of tents have been erected in a sit-in following nearly a week of clashes.
"Our main goal is to bring down Morsi's new decrees. Morsi has elected himself as the new pharaoh," said protester Haidi Ahmed.
Morsi has granted himself sweeping powers to "protect the revolution" and made himself immune to judicial oversight.
Mohammed ElBaradei, a prominent advocate of Egyptian democracy, warned on Saturday of increasing turmoil that could potentially lead to the military stepping in unless the president rescinds his decrees, as the country's long fragmented opposition sought to unite and rally new protests.
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The edicts issued on Wednesday have galvanized anger brewing against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, from which he hails, ever since he took office in June as Egypt's first freely elected president.
Critics accuse the Brotherhood - which has dominated elections over the past year - and other Islamists of monopolizing power and doing little to bring real reform or address Egypt's mounting economic and security woes.