Protesters break through barrier round Egypt palace

CAIRO (AFP) - Protesters opposed to Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi broke through barbed wire barriers protecting his Cairo palace on Friday, but a cordon of soldiers prevented them from entering the main gate, AFP correspondents at the scene said.

A crowd of more than 10,000 protesters thronged the square in front of the palace, where army tanks were deployed. Some sprayed graffiti on the palace's perimeter wall, telling Mursi to "Go".

No violence was seen, but tensions were high after clashes at the same spot on Wednesday between pro- and anti-Mursi supporters left seven people dead and more than 600 injured.

Several tanks were stationed in the square and nearby, but made no movement against the protesters, some of whom clambered aboard to declare that the army was "hand in hand" with them.