CAIRO (AA) – Protesters camping out in two major sit-in camps in Cairo and Giza to demand the reinstatement of ousted president Mohamed Morsi have been on high alert amid reports that security forces will soon start dispersing them.
An Anadolu Agency correspondent in Rabaa al-Adawiya, the larger of the two pro-Morsi protest camps, said protesters have rallied following the dawn prayers in anticipation of any attempt by police forces to dismantle the sit-in site.
Groups tasked with guarding the square beefed security with more guards deployed at the entry points to the site.
Cameras were also installed to stream a live video feed from the square.
Supporters of the ousted leader have been camping out in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square and Giza's Nahda Square for 45 and 41 days respectively.
They are protesting military ouster of Morsi, the country's first democratically elected president, which they dismiss as a "military coup" against an elected leader.
Following the dawn prayers, Mohamed al-Beltagi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood leader, addressed the crowd, urging them to stand on their ground against any attempt to disperse them.
"The steadfastness of the protesters who reject the coup and support legitimacy is unmasking the bloody military coup and disturbing the plans of the coup plotters," he said.
"Threats, moves or even bullets would not intimidate those amassing in the squares," he added.
According to Beltagi, the protesters are leading the "most important wave of the Egyptian revolution".
"This is a real revolution against an oppressive military force, brutal police, corrupt judiciary, conspiring media as well as the US, Israel and some Gulf countries."
According to sources, security forces will start by approaching the sit-in sites to prevent more people from joining the protests.
A siege would be imposed for two or three days before forces start using teargas and water cannons to disperse the protesters, the sources added.
The Interior Ministry has not officially commented on such scenarios.
In Nahda, six military armored vehicles and dozens of soldiers arrived in the vicinity of the square, in addition to three ambulances.
"The forces have received instructions to be ready to enforce orders to disperse the protests anytime," a security official, who asked to remain anonymous, told AA.
The government has described the twin sit-ins as a "threat to national security" and mandated the interior minister to take "all necessary measures" to disperse them.
Last week, interim Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi said the government would not retreat from its stated plan to break up the two sit-ins.
