(JTA) — Police fired tear gas and beat demonstrators as large-scale protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square continued over Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s power grab.
Many young protesters were arrested Wednesday on the second straight day of demonstrations in and near the square. On Tuesday, more than 200,000 people gathered at the site of demonstrations in February 2011 that led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
At least one protester has died in this week’s demonstrations.
Mass protests also are being held in other cities and are comparable in size to the uprising that turned Mubarak out of office, according to Reuters. The protests have expanded to decrying Morsi’s Islamist Muslim Brotherhood Party as well.
Morsi announced on Nov. 22 a consolidation of power, including that Egyptian courts would not be permitted to overturn any laws or decrees he has issued since assuming the presidency in June — at least until a new constitution is presented and approved in about six months.
Morsi earned praise from the United States and the international community last week after Egypt brokered a cease-fire between Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza and Israel, ending more than a week of escalated warfare.
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