video transcript

Demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square gear up for another day of protest - steeling themselves for further action in a bid to get Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi to rescind his move to take sweeping new powers. Mursi was set to deliver a speech on Thursday, in which he was expected to explain why he issued his decree, and to outline what he saw as conspiracies being planned by his non-Islamist rivals. But some here in Tahrir say withdrawing his decree isn't enough - they say Mursi should step down. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, AMR EL SAWY, SAYING: "We refuse to accept Mursi as President because we didn't approve of him from the beginning. But the Egyptian people have a problem with their emotions towards religion, and this is what pressured us before and made people neglect us here in Tahrir. This time, people have understood who the Brotherhood are as well as the politics they use; so I think this mistake will not be repeated again." The fractious ranks of Egypt's non-Islamist opposition have united over the crisis, though they have yet to build an electoral machine to challenge the well-organised Muslim Brotherhood and its Freedom and Justice Party. Islamist parties have called for mass demonstrations on Saturday in Tahrir Square - raising fears of violence should there be a confrontation with the opposition.