Cairo clashes continue into the night

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)

Several thousand opponents of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood clashed with supporters of the Islamist group near its headquarters in Cairo on Friday (March 22), and at least 40 people were wounded, authorities said.

Columns of riot police fired tear gas as the rival groups tussled in the streets around the Brotherhood headquarters. Protesters hurled Molotov cocktails and stones, a witness said.

Earlier in the day, Brotherhood supporters had arrived in the vicinity on buses, were showered with stones from the protesters and threw stones back.

About 40 people were wounded in the fighting, Health Ministry official Khaled al-Khatib told state news agency MENA. They included a former presidential candidate, liberal Khaled Ali, who was injured in the shoulder, MENA said.

The Brotherhood, of which President Mohamed Mursi is a leading member, had vowed on Thursday (March 21) to defend the building.

The Interior Ministry ur