Photo: Xinhua/STR

Protesters gather at Tahrir square during a demonstration against president Muhammad Morsi in Cairo, Dec. 1, 2012. Egypt's Constituent Assembly (CA) approved almost unanimously the final draft of constitution early Friday morning.

Sixteen people on Saturday were killed and 176 others were injured in ongoing Port Said clashes following a court verdict that sentenced 21 defendants to death.

The defendants were convicted for their involvement in killing 74 people during riots that broke out after a football match in Port Said last February.

Port Said's health affairs directory urges citizens to donate blood and medical supplies, the Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported head of the directory Helmi al-Efni as saying.

Gunshots were heard near al-Arab and al-Sharq police stations, the news agency reported.

Port Said General Hospital declared a state of emergency due to the growing numbers of people injured in clashes between protesters and security forces.

Thousands of angry protesters earlier attempted to break into Port Said Prison to release the convicted defendants but security forces were able to thwart the attempt.

Security forces hurled teargas canisters at the masses in an attempt to disperse them, witnesses said.