Egypt: Shafiq supporters clash with opponents

Violent clashes took place between supporters of Egyptian presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq and his opponents in front of the Press Syndicate in Cairo, after some anti-Shafiq activists held a press conference in the union to reveal what they described as \"irregularities during Shafiq\'s tenure as civil aviation minister\". Shafiq\'s supporters chanted slogans such as “Down with the rule of the supreme leader (Muslim Brotherhood)” and \"The people and the army are one \" and \"Down with the parliament.\" Pro-Shafiq activists said the conference organisers were a group of civil aviation workers who were dismissed and were on a personal vendetta against the candidate. The conference also accused sitting MP Essam Sultan of bullying and prevented him from attending the conference. On the other hand, opponents chanted slogans against Ahmed Shafiq:  \"Down with military rule,\"  “Let the traitors and the Mubarak regime fall, \"which led to an outbreak of violent clashes.