Egypt mired in violent clashes amid unrest

CAIRO -- Seven people were shot dead in the Egyptian city of Suez during nationwide protests against President Mohamed Morsi on Friday, underlining the country's deep divisions on the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

One of the dead was a policeman, medics said. Another 456 people were injured across Egypt, officials said, in unrest fueled by anger at Morsi and his Islamist allies over what the protesters see as their betrayal of the revolution.

Morsi said the state would not hesitate in "pursuing the criminals and delivering them to justice." In a statement, he also called on Egyptians to respect the principles of the revolution by expressing their views peacefully.

The Jan. 25 anniversary laid bare the divide between the Islamists and their secular rivals.

The schism is hindering the efforts of Morsi, elected in June, to revive an economy in crisis and reverse a plunge in Egypt's currency by enticing back investors and tourists.

Thousands of opponents of Morsi massed in Cairo's Tahrir Square -- the cradle of the revolt against Mubarak -- to rekindle the demands of a revolution they say has been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood, the group from which Morsi emerged.

In Suez, the military deployed armored vehicles to guard state buildings, witnesses and security sources said, as symbols of government were targeted across the country.

Street battles erupted in cities including Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Port Said. Arsonists attacked at least two state-owned buildings. An office used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party was also torched.

"Our revolution is continuing. We reject the domination of any party over this state. We say no to the Brotherhood state," said Hamdeen Sabahy, a popular leftist leader.

The Brotherhood decided against mobilizing for the anniversary, wary of the scope for more conflict after December's violence, stoked by Morsi's decision to fast-track an Islamist-tinged constitution rejected by his opponents.

The Brotherhood denies accusations that it is seeking to dominate Egypt, labeling them a smear campaign by its rivals.