Followers of Islamic Sufism in Egypt are discussing the possibility of organizing a protest on Friday at a location other than Cairo's Tahrir Square, so as not to hinder traffic.
On Saturday several revolutionary groups called for a mass protest in Tahrir to object to the forcible occupation of the area by army and police forces.
On Friday, army and police forces positioned in the square denied entry to nearly 200 protesters participating in the funeral procession of an activist who died after being attacked during a peaceful march to the Ministry of Defense at the end of July.
Sheikh Mohamed al-Shabrawi, a senior Sufi leader, suggested the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre as an alternative area for the protest. He called on all political forces to take part.
On Sunday Ahram Online quoted Shabrawi as saying that the Sufi order had agreed to hold the demonstration under the motto "For the Love of Egypt."
Observers believe that Sufis joined revolutionary groups in calling for the Friday protest as means to voice opposition to the protest staged on 29 July by Salafi Muslims.
Egypt's political and revolutionary groups have expressed deep frustration with the Salafi demonstration, which sought to emphasize Egypt’s Islamic identity and called for implementing Islamic law, despite reports of a prior agreement between Salafis and liberal revolutionary groups to avoid clashes and religious slogans during the protest.
