CAIRO - Hundreds of Egyptian protesters, including journalists, have been arrested in two days of Tunisia-inspired unprecedented mass protests against President Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime that left at least six people dead.Latest world news
Egypt witnessed a second 'day of anger' against the 30-year-rule of Mubarak yesterday as thousands of protesters took to streets, shouting slogans like 'Down with Hosni Mubarak, down with the tyrant," "We don't want you"!
Downtown Cairo saw thousands of security personnel chase anti-government protesters as they tried to reassemble at Tahrir Square, the same place where more than 20,000 demonstrators converged on Tuesday, occupying it for several hours before being dispersed by security forces early yesterday.
At some places, security forces fired tear gas canisters and rubber bullets, and demonstrators threw stones in response.
Two persons -- a protester and a policeman -- were killed yesterday, bringing to six the death toll in the two-day protests, media reports said.
Hundreds of protesters, including eight journalists, have been arrested and several injured during the protests, Al-Ahram newspaper reported today.
There had been brief attempts by protesters to gather outside the High Court here also. However, they were quickly dispersed.
The number of defiant demonstrators in Cairo was believed to be around 3,000 and they used the journalists' union as a launch pad for yesterday's protests.
The protesters burnt tyres in the middle of some main streets in Cairo to keep security vehicles at bay and pelted stones at public buildings and attempted to break into them.
There were sounds of sirens all over the capital.
Strong clashes between protesters and riot police were witnessed in Ramsis, Talat Harb and Qasr El-Nil Street.
After first day of protests on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry released a statement saying that no further demonstrations of any kind would be tolerated.
Police maintained a heavy presence in all places in Cairo.
There had also been huge protests yesterday in the port city of Suez, where four people died on Tuesday.
The protests in Suez were held mainly in front of the morgue where the bodies were kept. The protesters asked for a forensic examination before the burial. (More) PTI KIM
Security forces asked the families of the protesters killed in Suez to bury them quietly. But, the families insisted that they wanted forensic examination.
There have been calls for protesters from Cairo, where two people died during demonstrations yesterday, to join forces in Suez tomorrow after the Friday prayers.
Security has been stepped up in the capital, with authorities deploying clusters of armoured vehicles loaded with fully geared security personnel.
The intense action during the two-day protests took place in Suez, Egypt's largest city overlooking the Red Sea, where the scene was described by activists as one of the "street wars" and a "blood bath."
The protesters set the police station in the quarter of Arbain on fire and claimed that they had also torched the headquarters of the ruling party.
Many protesters were injured and rushed to hospitals, amid allegations that security forces ordered the medical staff not to provide medical care to them.
The city of Alexandria also witnessed anti-government rallies with protesters trying to reach a sea-front square to stage a demonstration, witnesses were quoted as saying. Dozens of protesters were also arrested from the city.
Egypt's largest anti-government protests in years echoed the recent mass uprising in Tunisia that toppled President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and forced him to flee to Saudi Arabia along with his family.
The protests in Egypt threatened to destabilise the regime of Mubarak, a close US ally in the Arab world.
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday that Egypt had to adopt democratic and other reforms and allow peaceful protests.
"I do think it's possible for there to be reforms and that is what we are urging and calling for," Clinton told reporters at the State Department.
She urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from violence.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked all concerned to ensure that the situation in Egypt does not lead to further violence.
He called on the authorities "to see this as an opportunity to engage in addressing the legitimate concerns of the people," his spokesman said.
There have been calls for protesters from Cairo, where two people died during demonstrations yesterday, to join forces in Suez tomorrow after the Friday prayers.
Security has been stepped up in the capital, with authorities deploying clusters of armoured vehicles loaded with fully geared security personnel.
The intense action during the two-day protests took place in Suez, Egypt's largest city overlooking the Red Sea, where the scene was described by activists as one of the "street wars" and a "blood bath."
The protesters set the police station in the quarter of Arbain on fire and claimed that they had also torched the headquarters of the ruling party.
Many protesters were injured and rushed to hospitals, amid allegations that security forces ordered the medical staff not to provide medical care to them.
The city of Alexandria also witnessed anti-government rallies with protesters trying to reach a sea-front square to stage a demonstration, witnesses were quoted as saying. Dozens of protesters were also arrested from the city.
Egypt's largest anti-government protests in years echoed the recent mass uprising in Tunisia that toppled President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and forced him to flee to Saudi Arabia along with his family.
The protests in Egypt threatened to destabilise the regime of Mubarak, a close US ally in the Arab world.
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday that Egypt had to adopt democratic and other reforms and allow peaceful protests.
"I do think it's possible for there to be reforms and that is what we are urging and calling for," Clinton told reporters at the State Department.
She urged all parties to exercise restraint and refrain from violence.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked all concerned to ensure that the situation in Egypt does not lead to further violence.
He called on the authorities "to see this as an opportunity to engage in addressing the legitimate concerns of the people," his spokesman said.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the Vienna-based UN nuclear agency, is expected to return to his country Egypt from service abroad shortly to join demonstrators protesting against 82-year-old Mubarak, 'Voice of America' reported.
The activists have used social media websites to call for a big protest tomorrow in Cairo.
But Facebook, a key medium which was being used to organise protests, appeared to be at least partially blocked.
On Tuesday, Twitter and cell phones appeared to be sporadically blocked as well.
Media reports said that over 800 people have been arrested in the waves of unrest across the country.
Egypt's government said at least 85 police officers were wounded in the clashes.
The injury figure among the protesters was nearly 70, according to the report
The activists have used social media websites to call for a big protest tomorrow in Cairo.
But Facebook, a key medium which was being used to organise protests, appeared to be at least partially blocked.
On Tuesday, Twitter and cell phones appeared to be sporadically blocked as well.
Media reports said that over 800 people have been arrested in the waves of unrest across the country.
Egypt's government said at least 85 police officers were wounded in the clashes.
The injury figure among the protesters was nearly 70, according to the report
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