Egypt: Protesters gather to demand Morsi's ouster

An Egyptian protester chants slogans against Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi during a rally in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Saturday, June 29, 2013. More than 22 million Egyptians have signed a petition calling for the country's Islamist president to step down, the youth group leading the signature campaign said Saturday on the eve of planned mass protests aimed at forcing Mohammed Morsi from office. (AP Photo/ Manu Brabo)

An Egyptian protester chants slogans against Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi during a rally in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Saturday, June 29, 2013. More than 22 million Egyptians have signed a petition calling for the country's Islamist president to step down, the youth group leading the signature campaign said Saturday on the eve of planned mass protests aimed at forcing Mohammed Morsi from office. (AP Photo/ Manu Brabo)

A veiled Egyptian woman holds a banner with Arabic reading, "we need a new president", during a press conference by the youth group leading the campaign against Egypt's president in Cairo, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Mahmoud Badr, a leader of the Tamarod, or rebel, movement said Saturday that 22,134,460 Egyptians have signed the petition demanding President Mohammed Morsi's ouster. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

An Egyptian protester holds anti-President Mohammed Morsi poster and a red card with Arabic word "Leave" during a protest in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Thousands of supporters and opponents of the embattled Islamist president held rival sit-ins in separate parts of Cairo Saturday on the eve of opposition-led mass protests aimed at forcing Mohammed Morsi from power. (AP Photo/ Amr Nabil)

Supporters of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi flash v-signs and shout anti-opposition slogans as they hold a poster of the president at a public square outside the Rabia el-Adawiya mosque near the presidential palace in Cairo, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Thousands of supporters and opponents of Egypt's embattled Islamist president held rival sit-ins in separate parts of Cairo Saturday on the eve of opposition-led mass protests aimed at forcing Mohammed Morsi from power. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Thousands of Egyptian protesters gather in Tahrir Square to rally against Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi, in Cairo, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Organizers of the mass protest claimed Saturday that more than 22 million people have signed their petition demanding the Islamist leader step down, asserting that the tally was a reflection of how much the public has turned against his rule. (AP Photo/ Manu Brabo)

CAIRO (AP) ? Thousands of Egyptians demanding the ouster of Egypt's Islamist president are gathering at Cairo's central Tahrir Square at the start of a day of massive, nationwide protests many fear could turn deadly.

Sunday marks the first anniversary of President's Mohammed Morsi's assumption of power as Egypt's first freely elected leader.

Thousands of Morsi's supporters have staged a sit-in since Friday in an eastern Cairo district not far from the presidential palace, the focus of protests later on Sunday to demand his ouster.

The youth group leading the campaign to force Morsi out said it had collected more than 22 million signatures from Egyptians who want the president to go. It was not possible to verify the claim.

Morsi's supporters have questioned the authenticity and validity of the signatures.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-06-30-ML-Egypt/id-17c5a6db74554acb980c6ce705b4b5dc

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