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Supporters and opponents of Egypt's president clash at rally for 'cleansing' the judiciary

Associated Press
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Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood members shout slogans as they hold a book cover of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi titled "achievements of president Morsi in 250 days" during a protest in front of the the Supreme Judicial Council in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, April 19, 2013. Thousands of supporters of Egypt's Islamist president have taken to the streets of Cairo, calling on him to "cleanse the judiciary." Mohammed Morsi and the judiciary have had tense relations since he came to power in June last year. Judges accused him of trampling on their authority, while Morsi supporters charge that the judiciary is controlled by supporters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) (The Associated Press)

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood members shout slogans during a protest in front of the Supreme Judicial Council in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, April 19, 2013. Arabic on the T-shirt reads, "clean judiciary." Thousands of supporters of Egypt's Islamist president have taken to the streets of Cairo, calling on him to "cleanse the judiciary." Mohammed Morsi and the judiciary have had tense relations since he came to power in June last year. Judges accused him of trampling on their authority, while Morsi supporters charge that the judiciary is controlled by supporters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/ Amr Nabil) (The Associated Press)

Thousands of mostly Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood members shout slogans during a protest in front of the the Supreme Judicial Council in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, April 19, 2013. Arabic reads, "yes to clean media." Thousands of supporters of Egypt's Islamist president have taken to the streets of Cairo, calling on him to "cleanse the judiciary." Mohammed Morsi and the judiciary have had tense relations since he came to power in June last year. Judges accused him of trampling on their authority, while Morsi supporters charge that the judiciary is controlled by supporters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) (The Associated Press)

Several hundred supporters and opponents of Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi are clashing near Cairo's Tahrir Square amid a rally calling on Morsi to "cleanse the judiciary."

The Friday rally had been held by supporters of Morsi outside the Cairo High Court. Anti-Morsi protesters appeared down the street from the rally.

It is not clear who started the violence, but the two sides threw rocks at each other, and a bus was seen set on fire. The sound of birdshots cracked through the air in the clashes, which were shown on TV. There were no police in sight.

Supporters of Morsi call on him to take measures to purge the judiciary of former regime supporters. Many opponents of the call view it as an attempt by Islamists to control the judiciary.