Rival Egyptian rallies turn violent

CAIRO -- Thousands of supporters and opponents of Egypt's Islamist president clashed in Cairo's Tahrir Square Friday in the first such violence since Mohammed Morsi took office more than three months ago, as liberal and secular activists erupted with anger accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to take over the country.

The two sides hurled stones and chunks of concrete and beat each other with sticks for several hours, leaving more than 100 injured, according to the state news agency. Two buses used by the Brotherhood to bring in supporters were set aflame in scenes reminiscent of last year's clashes between protesters against the regime of then-leader Hosni Mubarak.

The melee erupted between two rallies in Tahrir. One was by liberal and secular activists to criticize Morsi's failure to achieve promises he had made for first 100 days in power, the other had been called by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.

The clashes come as criticism among leftists, liberals and secularists against Morsi has been growing since he was inaugurated as Egypt's first freely elected president. Opponents accuse Morsi, the Brotherhood and other Islamists of trying to impose their dominance and Islamize the state.

Some Egyptians are also frustrated that Morsi, a longtime Brotherhood figure, has not done more to resolve the multiple problems facing the country -- from a faltering economy and fuel shortages to tenuous security and uncollected piles of garbage in the streets.

Morsi boasted this week in a nationally televised speech that he had carried out much of what he had promised for his first 100 days, and his supporters say he needs time in the face of difficulties inherited from Mubarak's authoritarian and corruption-riddled rule.-- AP