Thousands of people have staged rallies after Friday prayers in Egypt, in a show of support for President Mohammed Morsi.

Crowds chanted their allegiance, pre-empting demonstrations planned by those who want to oust Mr Morsi.

Secular groups say they have gathered 13 million signatures on a petition calling for the Islamist president to step down.

They plan mass rallies on 30 June, exactly a year after he came to power.

Sinking economy

In Cairo on Friday, crowds supporting the president converged on a main boulevard near the presidential palace.

There were Koranic chants over loudspeakers and shouts of “Islamic, Islamic in the eye of the secularists”.

Many of Mr Morsi’s supporters carried his pictures and banners calling on Egyptians to respect the “will of the people”, saying he had won power in free and fair elections.

His first year in office has been marred by constant political unrest and a sinking economy.

Many analysts say the instability and a continuing threat of violence have frightened away foreign investors and tourists.

There is increasing unemployment, particularly among the young, fuel shortages and a drain on reserves of foreign currency.

There was no trouble reported around the crowd of well over 10,000 in the capital on Friday.

But the state newspaper, al-Ahram, carried reports of some violence between pro-and anti-Morsi factions in the second city, Alexandria.

BBC