The Muslim Brotherhood announced on Friday that it will not participate in today's protests in Tahrir square yet it added that it will be present in the square "symbolically".

The brotherhood called for protests in front of mosques following the Friday noon prayer. These protests were expected to march to Tahrir square to take part in the "No to offending Prophet Mohammad" demonstration to protest against the film insulting the prophet.

"Due to the development of events over the past two days, the brotherhood decided to participate in the Tahrir protest only 'symbolically'," Mahmoud Hussein, secretary of the brotherhood, said in a statement on Ikhwan Online website.

The brotherhood calls on the powers participating in the demonstrations to maintain a civilized and peaceful manner while demonstrating, the statement added.