June 30 will be the “day of salvation" from the government of Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi, former Prime Minister Ahmad Shafiq said on Monday.
Shafiq was referring to nationwide protests planned by opposition groups to mark Mursi’s first anniversary in power.
This day will be “the certain end” of the “shameful” Muslim Brotherhood governance, or at least “the beginning of the end,” he told al-Tahrir newspaper.
“Why adopt threatening rhetoric when you are no more than 300,000 people?” asked Shafiq, addressing Mursi supporters, who have threatened to confront the planned protests.
He urged Mursi’s supporters to behave peacefully.
The opposition-backed campaign dubbed Tamarod, Arabic for rebellion, has called for a demonstration outside the presidential palace against Mursi on June 30.
Tamarod says it has gathered millions of signatures to a petition demanding that Mursi step down to pave the way for an early presidential election.
In a reaction, Islamist parties said they plan to organize a “million-man march” in front of Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque next Friday, to counter Tamarod’s protest at the end of the month
