Pro-Morsi rally in Cairo draws tens of thousands

CAIRO, June 21 (UPI) -- A rally in Cairo Friday, supporting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, drew tens of thousands of people, ahead of an anti-Morsi rally later in the month.

Demonstrators, convening in front of Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo's Nasr City, held pro-Islam and pro-Egypt banners and flags, and signs supportive of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian news website Ahram Online reported.

A number of prominent Islamist figures took the stage to encourage signing of a pro-Morsi petition to counter an anti-Morsi signature drive.

Privately owned Egyptian channels ONTV and CBC-TV reported their crews were assaulted by members of the crowd while covering the event, Ahram Online reported.