CAIRO: In what could very well be a monumental moment in Egypt's modern history, the Republican Guard that had been preventing protesters from reaching the Presidential Palace moved aside on Friday early evening and allowed the masses who had gathered to pour onto the street directly in front of the palace. The shouts of joy as protesters moved swiftly into the area, some jumping over concrete barriers aimed at keeping them away from the palace. The Republican Guard has stationed itself in front of the palace, but has not intervened as hundreds of thousands of Egyptians continue to demand the removal of President Mohamed Morsi, in what has become two weeks of near continuous protests in Cairo and across the country. It also follows Wednesday's clashes when Muslim Brotherhood supporters attacked peaceful protesters who had entered into a sit-in in front of the palace the night before. That violence left at least 6 people dead and over 1,000 injured. Activists and videos show the Brotherhood brutally attacking the anti-Morsi protesters with knives, sharp objects, sticks and even gun fire and rubber bullets. The Brotherhood and Morsi have maintained that it was the doing of a “third-party” in what activists say is a return to the claims made by the now ousted regime of Hosni Mubarak during the January 2011 uprising. On Friday afternoon, leading figure Mohamed ElBaradei called on Egyptians to reject Morsi's call for a national dialogue, saying “it lacks all basics of a real dialogue". “I appeal to all national forces not to participate in dialogue that lacks all basics of a real dialogue," ElBaradei wrote on his Twitter account. “We support dialogue that is not based on arm-twisting tactics or imposing a fait accompli," he added. Morsi attempted to diffuse an already tense country after Wednesday saw angry Muslim Brotherhood supporters – of which Morsi came out of to take the helm as president – attack and ignite street clashes around the presidential palace, leaving at least five people dead and hundreds injured. He called for political groups and other leaders to meet on Saturday to participate in a national dialogue for a roadmap to follow a constitutional referendum to be held on December 15. “I call for a full, productive dialogue with all figures and heads of parties, revolutionary youth and senior legal figures to meet this Saturday," Morsi said in the televised address on Thursday, saying the meeting would be at his official palace, now guarded by Republican Guards. He continued that the meeting would discuss the upper house of parliament after the lower house was dissolved in June, the election law and other issues. Despite opposition to the referendum, Morsi said that the date would remain unchanged. With anti-Morsi protesters in demonstration mode for the past two weeks over a presidential decree that granted the leader near absolute power above judiciary review, he said that protesters cannot resort to violence to gain their demands. “Such painful events happened because of political differences that should be resolved through dialogue," the Islamist president said in a televised address to the nation after two days of violence during protests. “We respect peaceful freedom of speech but will never allow anyone to take part in killings and sabotage," he said in the speech which came amid the worst political crisis since his election in June. “I feel a responsibility for every Egyptian, whether they oppose or support me. The nation is united. All citizens enjoy the right to security. “There is no difference between citizens in terms of their right to safety. “These painful events happened due to political differences. The only solution is dialogue. “The ex-regime used thugs and rigged elections ... such methods will never be used in Egypt ever again," Morsi said. Activists were angry that he never once mentioned his own political group's involvement in the violence the day before. The activists viewed the speech as an attempt to paint the protesters calling for the withdrawal of the decree and his ouster as criminals. A number of protesters told Bikyamasr.com that they believe the speech “was a call to attack those who disagree with him and we all fear reprisals and attacks." The failure to withdraw the decree and pushing on with the referendum has angered the protesters, but Morsi said that the “minority" must “follow its [majority] will." He did add that he would be “willing" to remove the decree after the referendum, but did not promise that would occur. Quickly after the speech, and the call for the national unity meeting, opposition groups publicly condemned the president and said they would not participate in the dialogue until the decree was withdraw. Abu Ezz al-Hariri, a member of dissolved parliament, said whoever accepts dialogue with the Mursi will “betray the revolution." The April 6 Youth Movement, which played a leading role in the uprising against Mubarak, said in an announcement on its Facebook page that it would not join the talks and called for massive protests on Friday to show the president who was the majority. It also said Friday's protest would be called the “red card" for Morsi. For many, the speech did little to change the status quo. For others it was the final straw that showed the unwillingness of the Brotherhood to compromise. And even others said the point of no return has been crossed and demanded that Morsi immediately step down.
