Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is calling for huge protests across the country Friday in support of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.
A Brotherhood spokesman, Gehad al-Haddad, tells VOA the protests following noon prayers will be a peaceful challenge to what the group considers a military coup against Egypt's first freely elected leader.
The Muslim Brotherhood has refused to participate in plans for a transition government, saying it will continue to hold sit-ins and protests until Mr. Morsi is reinstated.
Meanwhile, Mr. Morsi's opponents plan to gather in Cairo to celebrate the mass uprising that prompted the army to depose Mr. Morsi, who remains in military custody.
Since his removal last week, deadly clashes between the two factions have threatened to plunge the Arab world's largest country into a large-scale sectarian crisis.