2012 Egyptian protests

2012–13 Egyptian protests
Part of the Egyptian Crisis
Demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square on the morning of 27 November 2012
Date	22 November 2012 (2012-11-22) – 3 July 2013 (2013-07-03) (7 months, 1 week and 4 days)
Location	Egypt 30°2′N 31°13′E / 30.033°N 31.217°E / 30.033; 31.217Coordinates: 30°2′N 31°13′E / 30.033°N 31.217°E / 30.033; 31.217
Caused by	Center-periphery dissonance
Goals	Withdrawal of Morsi's decree Cancellation of referendum on draft constitution Overhaul of the Islamist-dominated constitutional assembly Ousting of President Mohamed Morsi Overthrow of the Qandil Cabinet
Methods	Civil disobedience Civil resistance Demonstrations Strike actions Online activism Black Bloc
Status	Successful
Parties to the civil conflict
Opposition: National Salvation Front April 6 Youth Movement Kifaya Tamarod Al-Wafd Judges' Club Liberals Leftists Secularists Anarchists (Black Bloc) Feminists Artists and Intellectuals Anti-Sexual Harassment activists Supported by: Egyptian Armed Forces Government Supported by: Muslim Brotherhood FJP al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya (party) Other Islamists
Lead figures
Abdel Fatah al-Sisi (Minister of Defense, Commander-in-Chief) Mohamed ElBaradei (leader of The Egyptian Salvation Front) Hamdeen Sabahi (leader of The Egyptian Popular Current) Amr Moussa (leader of Conference Party) Mohamed Abou El-Ghar (leader of The Egyptian Social Democratic Party) Ahmed el-Tayeb (Grand Imam of Al Azhar) Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria (Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria) Mohamed Morsi (President of Egypt) Hesham Qandil (Prime Minister of Egypt) Mohammed Badie (Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood) Khairat el-Shater (Deputy Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood)
Casualties
28 killed (17–22 November 2012); 59–60+ killed (25 January–3 February 2013); 40 killed (23 June–3 July 2013)

External video

Helicopter view of the Tens of thousands of protesters

Opposition:

Government

Supported by:
Muslim Brotherhood

al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya (party)

The 2012–13 Egyptian protests were part of a large scale popular uprising in Egypt against then-President Mohamed Morsi. On 22 November 2012, millions of protesters began protesting against Morsi, after his government announced a temporary constitutional declaration that in effect granted the president unlimited powers. Morsi deemed the decree necessary to protect the elected constituent assembly from a planned dissolution by judges appointed during the Mubarak era.

The demonstrations were organized by Egyptian opposition organizations and individuals, mainly liberals, leftists, secularists and Christians. The demonstrations resulted in violent clashes between Morsi-supporters and the anti-Morsi protesters, with dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries. Demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace, which in turn was surrounded by tanks and armored vehicles of the Republican Guard. The anti-Morsi protesters in Cairo were estimated at 200,000, while over 100,000 supporters of Morsi gathered in Cairo to show support. A number of Morsi's advisers resigned in protest, and many judges spoke out against his actions as well. Resignations were tendered by the director of state broadcasting, Rafik Habib (Christian vice president of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party), and Zaghloul el-Balshi (general secretary of the commission overseeing the planned constitutional referendum). Seven members of Morsi's 17-member advisory panel resigned in December 2012.