The leader of the pro-Morsi movement ignored the military’s demands to vacate the Raba’a al-Adaweya and Nahda sit-ins and instead pledged to stage new rallies for Friday. The Interior Ministry offered “safe passage and protection” for any Morsi supporters who peacefully left the sit-ins.
Reports of various forms of sectarian violence and intimidation emerged from Minya, where six Copts were injured on Thursday after clashes with a pro-Morsi crowd. Residents in the area have complained that the protesters have been attacking them and destroying their cars, while “eyewitnesses” state that Morsi supporters have forced Copts in Nazlet Abid to stop working in their local factories. In Delga, rocks were thrown at several churches and houses belonging to Copts.
In Arish, a bomb exploded behind the Sinai Sun Hotel, a lodging where security personnel often stay. Reports appeared of another device that was found and deactivated. No one was injured in the bombing, though an earlier attack today on the same building killed one and injured another.
The High Administrative Court postponed to October 19 their ruling on a lawsuit regarding the dissolution of the Freedom and Justice Party and the Nour Party. Both parties are regarding by the plaintiff as violating Egypt’s prohibition on religiously-based parties.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the removal of former President Morsi was called for by “millions and millions.” Most controversially, he went on to note that, as a civilian government exists, the military’s act was one of “restoring democracy” to Egypt.