Egyptian security forces used teargas to disperse fresh Friday rallies staged by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in several provinces.

A pro-democracy rally was dispersed by teargas in the Giza neighborhood of Omranyeh. A number of demonstrators were arrested.
Backers of the ousted president were also dispersed in the Cairo district of Nasr City.

Demonstrators set tires alight amid chants against an amended constitution set to be put to a public referendum in mid-January.
Security forces also dispersed several pro-democracy rallies in the coastal city of Alexandria and arrested a number of demonstrators.

Pro-democracy protests were also teargased in the canal city of Suez and the central Fayoum province. A number of demonstrators were detained.

Friday's rallies were called by the National Alliance for the Defense of Legitimacy, Morsi's main support bloc, to protest a public referendum on a revised version of the 2012 constitution.

On January 14 and 15, Egypt plans to hold a public referendum on a revised version of the 2012 charter, which was suspended by the military following Morsi's ouster this summer by the military.

The upcoming vote is the first phase of an army-imposed roadmap for post-Morsi political transition, which also includes parliamentary and presidential elections sometime next year.

For the past 176 days, backers of the ousted president have been staging rallies on an almost daily basis to denounce what they describe as the military coup against the elected leader and demand his reinstatement.

PHOTO CAPTION

Egyptian protesters chant anti-police and military slogans as they march towards the Egyptian Cabinet to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the 2011 Cabinet clashes, on Qasr al-Nile bridge, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, Dec. 16, 2013.

Agencies