'Dozens' injured in Egypt clashes

'Dozens' injured in Egypt clashes

From Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, For CNN

May 2, 2012 -- Updated 0601 GMT (1401 HKT)

Egyptian protesters shout slogans during a demonstartion against the interim military leadership outside the defence ministry in the Abbassiya district of Cairo on April 29, 2012.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A man dies at the scene, according to a field medic
• Protesters camp outside the ministry of defense for a fourth day
• They are demonstrating against the barring of a presidential candidate
• The presidential race is scheduled to start on May 23

(CNN) -- Men in plainclothes attacked protesters demonstrating against the barring of a presidential candidate in Cairo early Wednesday, killing one and leaving dozens injured, witnesses said.

One man was shot and died at the scene, according to Tarek Salem, a field medic.

"More protesters were shot with live ammunition and transferred to hospitals in critical conditions," Salem said. "I expect news of more deaths."

Protesters camped outside the ministry of defense for a fourth day to voice their anger at the disqualification of Islamist candidate Hazem Abu Ismael. The presidential race is scheduled to start on May 23.

Abu Ismael was disqualified from the race because of evidence that his late mother had U.S. citizenship. He has denied it, prompting his followers to protest the decision by the election commission.

A day before the attacks, state TV broadcast videos showing protesters chanting against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

"Dozens of military men dressed in plainclothes started pelting us with stones, cement blocks, and fired tear gas from rifles, so they were obviously security officers under cover," said Alaa Younis, who took part in the sit-in with some friends.

"We fought back with rocks until we noticed they escalated and fired bird shot, many of us took refuge at one of two field hospitals."

The epicenter of the clashes was around the Noor Salafi Mosque, one of the biggest in Cairo, but clashes continued in several streets.

"We found labeled military food rations in the area where the plainclothes attackers came from. They must have left them behind during the clashes, " said Reem Ahmed, another protester.

Residents formed neighborhood watches to protect their streets as gunfire cackled for hours, according to witnesses. The military blocked some highways leading to the ministry and did not interfere in the fighting between protesters and the unidentified attackers.

A cautious calm came at day break as protesters continued their sit-in.

About 10 of the 23 presidential contenders have been disqualified, the head of the election committee said earlier this month.

The May 23-24 vote will be the first presidential election since President Hosni Mubarak's ouster in February 2011. It comes amid rising political tensions as officials work to craft a new constitution and Egyptians await the June 2 verdict in Mubarak's murder trial.

CNN.com