Protests on Tahrir Square, 2 February 2011

© Hossam el-Hamalawy/afrol News

afrol News, 2 February - Violent clashes on Tahrir Square as protesters are attacked by agents provocateurs supporting the Mubarak regime.

Newer updates in the live stream are found at www.afrol.com/articles/37215.

15:56 - "I saw at least a dozen guys coming back badly bloodied from front line. Incredibly violent scene and the soldiers are just watching," Ashraf Khalil tweets from central Cairo.

15:54 - Pro-regime agents, mostly identified as plaint-cloth police, are breaking the protesters' barricades, forcing protesters to retreat. From Tahrir Square side streets, government agents are throwing stones from building roofs, forcing protesters into the square, where they are increasingly trapped in a cloud of teargas.

15:50 - "Demonstrators banging against metal with stone around the streets that spill into Tahrir," Nora Shalaby tweets from central Cairo.

15:47 - Teargas is fired into the crowds, but only at anti-government protesters.

15:46 - The curfew will start in less than 15 minutes. It is unclear how the army will react to this today.

15:44 - 'Spiegel' reporter Matthias Gebauer at Tahrir Square informs anti-government protesters are loudly discussing tactics. "Especially young women are repeatedly urging not to throw stones and engage in violence," he reports. "We are all Egyptians; we cannot kill each other," he quotes the young women as saying. Other protesters however were crying for "revenge" against Mubarak's agent.

15:38 - Ahmed es-Sayed of the 6 April movement, central to the start of the protests, told 'Dagbladet' journalist Line Fransson (in Cairo) that "We ask people to stay on [Tahrir] Square. We also ask people from outside Cairo to go to the square for us to maintain control. And we are in full control of Tahrir now."

15:34 - In Alexandria, "anti-Mubarak demos avoid pro-Mubarak provocations and march throughout large streets of the city," Mohamed Abdelfattah tweets from Egypt's second city.

15:30 - "The Mubarak regime and its thugs alone are responsible for this violence and chaos," protesters at Tahrir say, referring to the orderly situation they have been able to maintain in central Cairo until now.

15:29 - "This will become more bloody, it will become worse, because no one is willing to give in," the 'Al Jazeera' reporters at Tahrir Square hold.

15:26 - There are again gunshots and explosions heard on Tahrir Square.

15:19 - The army vehicles taken over by regime agents were army trucks, not tanks. They are now used to set up barricades on Tahrir. The anti-government protesters on the square now stand at risk at being locked into Tahrir by these barricades and army blocks. The protesters are still attacked with stones.

15:15 - The army is now again trying to separate the clashing groups, but it look as it is mainly containing the anti-government activists.

15:12 - Gunshots are no longer heard at the square, but pro-Mubarak agents are still trying to take over control of Tahrir, with attacks and counter-attacks waving back and forth. Stones are raining of the two groups. The number of wounded is now rapidly increasing.

15:09 - "Paid thugs being brought in by minibus and throwing stones at protestors. Many wounded," activist tweets from central Cairo.

15:01 - Pro-Mubarak agents have taken over three army vehicles in central Cairo, probably being the source of the shots.

15:00 - First shots heard on Tahrir Square, unclear from whom.

14:59 - Journalists are observing "thousands of Mubarak supporters" streaming towards Tahrir Square, bringing Egyptian flags and portraits of Mubarak. Anti-government protesters meanwhile have started demolishing streets, arming themselves with stones and sticks. A showdown seems to be prepared by both sides.

14:55 - On Egyptian state TV, however, the Ministry of Interior just denied that police officers were taking part in the pro-government action.

14:53 - "I just saw four police men putting on plain clothes and jackets and holding flags ready to chant pro Mubarak slogans," Maggie Osama tweets from Cairo.

14:50 - "Thugs are intimidating us on all levels," an anti-government protester tweets from Tahrir.

14:47 - Several journalists have been attacked by regime supporters today, including a TV team from 'Al Arabiya' and reporters from 'CNN'. Many reporters are now seeking refuge in their hotels. 'Al Jazeera' is however still reporting from Tahrir.

14:44 - The anti-government protesters out in Cairo streets today are now estimated at around 200-300,000, much less than at the same time yesterday. Nevertheless, more and more protesters defy the fear of getting hurt in this dangerous situation to defend the revolution.

14:39 - The battle of Tahrir Square is being fought, and is still indecisive. with the two groups moving back and forward. The army still does not get involved.

14:33 - Protesters now are erecting roadblocks around Tahrir Square to stop regime agents from entering it. They fences, building materials and what is around, but the situation is tense as regime supporters are trying to pass the blocks.

14:31 - 'Al Jazeera English' still has an incredibly well-directed live stream from the Egypt protest, freely available at http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now.

14:28 - Several of the pro-Mubarak "protesters" at Tahrir Square have police IDs, as 'Al Jazeera' just has documented.

14:24 - While state TV still exclusively shows images of "masses" protesting in favour of President Mubarak, there are increased reports of plain-clothed police again present on Tahrir. The use of teargas on the square points to that, as the army does not have teargas.

14:21 - Trucks full of people are heading towards Tahrir Square. It is unclear whether these are pro- or anti-government protesters. More and more anti-government protesters are however filling up the streets towards Tahrir.

14:16 - "Tens of thousands in Alexandria r now marching from Qaed Ibrahim to Sidi Bishr chanting against Mubarak," Hossam el-Hamalawy reports from Egypt.

14:13 - Anti-government protesters are angered by the attempt of counter-revolution. People seem ready to defend their gains and Tahrir Square. Numbers of pro-Mubarak agents seem limited to hundreds or a few thousands - far less than anti-government protesters, who keep multiplying.

14:09 - People keep running from Tahrir Square, escaping from the clashes. But, alarmed by the reports, thousands of anti-government protesters are also moving towards central Cairo to support the revolution. Angry screams to fight back the regime are heard all over Cairo.

13:54 - There are many reports from Cairo saying the pro-government supporters are people gathered over the last days, paid E£ 400 (US$ 70, around a normal month's salary) to participate.

13:50 - The army at Tahrir Square are not using force to stop the clashes, but unarmed soldiers are trying to go in between the two groups clashing.

13:45 - Egyptian state TV reports from Tahrir Square, claiming that the great anti-government crowds are pro-Mubarak protesters.

13:30 - Pro-Mubarak supporters start attacking the thousands of anti-government protesters gathered on Tahrir Square, throwing stones. There are many wounded, people at the square report.


(Hours are Central Europe time. Cairo time is one hour later, GMT one hour less).

Press F5 to update!

By staff writers

© afrol News

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