Egyptian holds up a red card against President Mohammed Morsi in Cairo Protests calling for the resignation of Egypt\'s President Mohammed Morsi and early presidential elections have kicked off in the capital, Cairo, and around the country on Sunday. Thousands spent the night in Cairo\'s Tahrir Square, focus of protests which brought down ex-leader Hosni Mubarak.
The protests come on the first anniversary of Morsi\'s election as the country\'s first Islamist president.
Morsi critics also say he has put the Islamist agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood party ahead of the country\'s wider interests.
Morsi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood leader, is Egypt\'s first president elected in a free vote, catapulted to power by the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that ended three decades of dictatorial rule.
Morsi\'s Freedom and Justice Party, political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, called for a \"general mobilisation\" in support of the president who has said he wants to stay the course until the end of his term in June 2016.
But leading opposition figure, Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, urged the president \"to listen to the people\" and step aside.
The fervent displays of emotion from both camps highlight the deep divisions in the Arab world\'s most populous country.
The army, which led a tumultuous transition after the revolt that ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak, has warned it will intervene if there is major unrest.
Since taking office, Morsi has battled with the judiciary, the media and the police. The economy has taken a tumble, investment has dried up, inflation soared and the vital tourism industry has been battered.
Egyptians have been stocking up on food and withdrawing cash in anticipation of Sunday\'s rallies and, adding to the tension, fuel shortages have caused very long queues outside petrol stations, bringing some parts of the capital to a standstill.
On Saturday at least eight deputies resigned from the Islamist-dominated Shura Council in support of the people, in a boost for Tamarod which says it now has 22 million signatures on a petition demanding a snap election and Morsi\'s departure. The figure cannot be verified.