Islamists, Liberal protesters clash outside Egyptian parliament

Cairo, Feb.1 (ANI): Tensions have sharpened between Islamists and liberals over the fate of the Egyptian revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside parliament and clashed with Muslim Brotherhood members.

The Los Angeles Times reports that more than 20 were injured in the incident.

Liberal demonstrators chanted anti-Islamist slogans and accused the Muslim Brotherhood and the ultra-conservative Salafis, who together control more than 70 percent of the seats in parliament, of abandoning the revolution and striking political deals with the country's ruling military council.

The Muslim Brotherhood responded by dispatching scores of loyalists to form a cordon against protesters outside parliament.

Shoving ensued and clashes broke out.

Assem Abdel Maged, an Islamist lawmaker, said the protesters were planning to storm into parliament and attack lawmakers.

Mohamed Abdel Aziz, a member of the Kefaya movement, which took part in the protest, said Muslim Brotherhood members started the fighting.

The protesters have been calling on parliament, to move Mubarak to a prison hospital during his ongoing trial on charges of complicity in the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators last year.

Mubarak, who reportedly has heart problems, has been staying in a civilian hospital.

Protesters are also demanding that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces hand over power to the speaker of parliament until a president is elected in June. (ANI)