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Egyptian military police fight protesters in square Cairo's Tahrir Square rocked by renewed clashes
(about 1 hour later)
Egyptian military police in riot gear have stormed Tahrir Square in Cairo to try to seize control from protesters who had set up camp there. Egyptian troops and police have stormed Tahrir Square in Cairo to try to seize control from protesters who had set up camp there.
Demonstrators fled as officers fired tear gas and beat them with truncheons. Demonstrators fled as officers fired tear gas and beat them with truncheons. At least four people have died in the violence since Saturday, reports say.
At one point the police appeared to be in control but running battles are now being fought. By nightfall, thousands of protesters, some wearing gas masks, had returned.
The violent clashes between the security forces and protesters have lasted two days in Cairo and other cities. The demonstrators say they fear Egypt's military rulers are trying to retain their grip on power.
The demonstrators say they fear Egypt's military rulers are trying to retain their grip on power, in spite of elections due in just over a week. The violence comes a week before the country's first parliamentary elections since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in February.
The second day of clashes began when stone-throwing protesters advanced from the square towards the interior ministry. I am on the fourth floor of an apartment overlooking Tahrir Square, just opposite the Egyptian Museum. There were relatively calm protests - there were maybe seven or eight thousand protesters in the square.
Officers fired volleys of tear gas. Then suddenly at the front line where the police were up to that point, a group of military police started running into the protesters.
The fighting has continued for much of the day with large numbers of police and protesters confronting each other in and around Tahrir Square. I saw about 10 to 15 protesters covered in blood being beaten with batons. A lot of panic, a lot of screaming. The field hospital where we were earlier was overrun, so a lot of those injured people being pulled out arms and legs sort of lifted high up.
The violence in Cairo began early on Saturday when riot police tried to remove protesters who had spent the night in the square following protests on Friday. Right now in front of me, the square is being filled with people again. There are running street battles. There are four to five different streets veering off from the apartment where I am and in each one the military are firing what looks like tear gas canisters and rubber bullets.
After clashes that lasted for much of the day and well into the following night, the police eventually pulled back into the surrounding streets, leaving thousands of protesters in control of the square. We were told earlier by a doctor in the field hospital that they were finding live ammunition, that they were extracting it from some people's arms and legs.
Two people were killed on Saturday in Cairo and Alexandria. I can see one man down in Tahrir Square, just below the apartment where I am who is being given CPR by a group of doctors who are being protected by the military. So in some cases, it looks like the military are trying to protect those injured people and in others they are firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
Some of today's newspapers are describing this protest as "the second revolution" and you can see why. Once again Tahrir Square resembles the makeshift camp that toppled the president during Egypt's 18-day uprising. There are makeshift field hospitals treating the injured. The "KFC clinic" has reopened outside the fast food restaurant. Clashes have also broken out in other cities, including Alexandria, Suez and Aswan.
A volunteer medic told me that many people have injuries from rubber bullets and buck shot, particularly to the eyes. Health officials say as many as 900 people have been injured, including at least 40 security personnel.
Clouds of stinging tear gas again fill the air. Police are using it on nearby streets to drive back demonstrators trying to advance on the interior ministry. Armoured vehicles
Much of central Cairo is again closed off. Traffic is blocked and stores are shuttered up in what would usually be a busy shopping area. Some locals expressed anger at the disruption but a woman activist says the people must reoccupy the streets until there is a complete handover by the military to civilian rule. A second day of violence began when stone-throwing protesters advanced from the square - focal point of February's uprising - towards the interior ministry.
For a while there was a makeshift camp in the square - exactly like the one that appeared during the protests in February that forced President Hosni Mubarak from power. Officers fired volleys of tear gas and drove the protesters back, before blocking the street leading to the ministry.
A temporary field hospital was also set up to treat injured protesters. Armoured personnel carriers brought in reinforcements as the security forces tried to gain the upper hand.
Tahrir Square - which is usually one of Cairo's busiest traffic thoroughfares - is closed to vehicles and most nearby businesses are shut. Scores of soldiers and police poured into the square, beating protesters and dismantling a protest camp there.
Renewed violence But within an hour, protesters swarmed back into the square, usually one of Cairo's busiest traffic thoroughfares.
Protesters - mostly Islamists and young activists - have been holding demonstrations against a draft constitution that they say would allow the military to retain too much power after a new civilian government is elected. The BBC's Helena Merriman at the scene says there is tense atmosphere, with moments of calm punctuated by moments of panic and running.
They have repeatedly tried to gain a foothold in Tahrir Square again, but up to now they have always been removed quickly by the police. The edges of the square are thinning out but the road to the ministry of interior is full of protesters, she says.
"The violence yesterday showed us that Mubarak is still in power," one protester, Ahmed Hani, told the AP news agency. In recent weeks protesters - mostly Islamists and young activists - have been holding demonstrations against a draft constitution that they say would allow the military to retain too much power after a new civilian government is elected.
They have repeatedly tried to gain a foothold in Tahrir Square again, but until this weekend they had always been removed quickly by the police.
"The violence [on Saturday] showed us that Mubarak is still in power," one protester, Ahmed Hani, told the Associated Press news agency.
He said the leader of Egypt's military government, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, should resign.He said the leader of Egypt's military government, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, should resign.
"We have a single demand: The marshal must step down and be replaced by a civilian council," he said."We have a single demand: The marshal must step down and be replaced by a civilian council," he said.
Saturday's violence was some of the worst in months between Egyptian police and demonstrators. The latest violence is some of the worst in months between the Egyptian authorities and demonstrators.
Health officials say as many as 900 people were injured, including at least 40 security personnel.
The demonstrators in Cairo set a government building and a police vehicle on fire and threw stones and petrol bombs at riot police.
The number of protesters grew during the day, reportedly after a call went out on social media for people to join the demonstration following the police assault.
Government warning
Prime Minister Essam Sharaf called on the protesters to clear the square.
"What is happening in Tahrir is very dangerous and threatens the course of the nation and the revolution," a statement from the cabinet said.
One of the demonstrators, Ali Abdel Aziz, said security forces beat up protesters to break up the sit-in on Saturday.
"They beat us harshly, they didn't care for either men or women," the 32-year-old accountancy professor told the AFP news agency.
Parliamentary elections are due to begin on 28 November and take three months.Parliamentary elections are due to begin on 28 November and take three months.
Earlier in November, Egypt's military rulers produced a draft document setting out principles for a new constitution.Earlier in November, Egypt's military rulers produced a draft document setting out principles for a new constitution.
Under those guidelines, the military would be exempted from civilian oversight, as would its budget.Under those guidelines, the military would be exempted from civilian oversight, as would its budget.
This has angered protesters who fear the gains they have made during the uprising could yet slip away as the military tries to retain some grip on power.This has angered protesters who fear the gains they have made during the uprising could yet slip away as the military tries to retain some grip on power.
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