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26 January 2011
Last updated at 11:37 ET
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The government had warned that public gatherings would no longer be tolerated
Police have clashed with anti-government protesters in two major Egyptian cities following Tuesday's unprecedented protests, witnesses say.
Police broke up demonstrations in central Cairo, beating protesters with batons. Demonstrators also gathered in the eastern city of Suez.
Meanwhile security officials said at least 500 people had been arrested in a crackdown against the protests.
Public gatherings would no longer be tolerated, the interior ministry said.
Anyone taking to the streets against the government would be prosecuted, it added.
The BBC's John Leyne in Cairo says the authorities are responding in familiar fashion, treating a political crisis as a security threat.
However, state news agency Mena quoted Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif as saying the government was committed to "freedom of expression by legitimate means". Police had acted with restraint, he said.
Protesters have been inspired by the recent uprising in Tunisia, vowing to stay on the streets until the government falls.
They have been using social networking sites to call for fresh demonstrations, but both Facebook and microblogging site Twitter appear to have been periodically blocked inside Egypt.
Stone-throwing Following a "day of revolt" across Egypt on Tuesday in which four people died, protesters attempted to stage new demonstrations in Cairo on Wednesday.
There were scuffles reported outside the journalists' union building in central Cairo as hundreds of people gathered to protest.
Police beat some with batons and fired tear gas when they tried to break through a cordon, and protesters on nearby buildings threw stones.
Reuters news agency reported more clashes outside a central court complex in the city.
Witnesses say riot police have been charging demonstrators throughout the day wherever in Cairo they happen to gather.
Meanwhile, in the eastern city of Suez, crowds gathered outside the morgue where the body of a victim of Tuesday's protests was being kept.
One of Tuesday's demonstrators, Mostapha El-Shafey, told the BBC he planned to join protests again on Wednesday.
"I want to see an end to this dictatorship. Thirty years of (President Hosni) Mubarak is enough. We've had enough of the state of emergency. Prices are going up and up," he said.
Demonstrations are illegal in Egypt, which has been ruled by President Mubarak since 1981. The government tolerates little dissent and opposition demonstrations are routinely outlawed.
In Washington, the White House urged the Egyptian government to allow protests to go ahead, describing the situation as "an important opportunity to be responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people".
Social media's role Tuesday's protests were co-ordinated through a Facebook page, where organisers say they are taking a stand against torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment. One page called for protesters all over Egypt to gather after prayers on Friday.
However, Wednesday brought reports that Facebook was being blocked inside Egypt.
Twitter also played a key part, with supporters inside and outside Egypt using the search term #jan25 to post news on Tuesday, but it was blocked later in the day.
BBC technology correspondent Mark Gregory says that while this clampdown has undoubtedly restricted access to information, technically minded protesters have found ways of evading the restrictions.
Many have stayed in touch by routing their messages through proxy servers - web facilities based in other countries.
The government blamed the violence on the banned Islamist movement the Muslim Brotherhood, although this group was reported to have been ambivalent about the protests.
One opposition leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, had called on Egyptians to take part in the protests.
Tunisia's President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted from power and fled the country earlier this month, after weeks of protests in which dozens of people were killed.
Egypt has many of the same social and political problems that brought about the unrest in Tunisia - rising food prices, high unemployment and anger at official corruption.
However, the population of Egypt has a much lower level of education than Tunisia. Illiteracy is high and internet penetration is low.
There are deep frustrations in Egyptian society, our Cairo correspondent says, adding that Egypt is widely seen to have lost power, status and prestige in the three decades of President Mubarak's rule.
Are you in Cairo or elsewhere in Egypt? Are you attending protests? You can send us your experiences using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions
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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.The government had warned that public gatherings would no longer be tolerated
Police have clashed with anti-government protesters in two major Egyptian cities following Tuesday's unprecedented protests, witnesses say.
Police broke up demonstrations in central Cairo, beating protesters with batons. Demonstrators also gathered in the eastern city of Suez.
Meanwhile security officials said at least 500 people had been arrested in a crackdown against the protests.
Public gatherings would no longer be tolerated, the interior ministry said.
Anyone taking to the streets against the government would be prosecuted, it added.
The BBC's John Leyne in Cairo says the authorities are responding in familiar fashion, treating a political crisis as a security threat.
However, state news agency Mena quoted Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif as saying the government was committed to "freedom of expression by legitimate means". Police had acted with restraint, he said.
Protesters have been inspired by the recent uprising in Tunisia, vowing to stay on the streets until the government falls.
They have been using social networking sites to call for fresh demonstrations, but both Facebook and microblogging site Twitter appear to have been periodically blocked inside Egypt.
Stone-throwing Following a "day of revolt" across Egypt on Tuesday in which four people died, protesters attempted to stage new demonstrations in Cairo on Wednesday.
There were scuffles reported outside the journalists' union building in central Cairo as hundreds of people gathered to protest.
Police beat some with batons and fired tear gas when they tried to break through a cordon, and protesters on nearby buildings threw stones.
Reuters news agency reported more clashes outside a central court complex in the city.
Witnesses say riot police have been charging demonstrators throughout the day wherever in Cairo they happen to gather.
Meanwhile, in the eastern city of Suez, crowds gathered outside the morgue where the body of a victim of Tuesday's protests was being kept.
One of Tuesday's demonstrators, Mostapha El-Shafey, told the BBC he planned to join protests again on Wednesday.
"I want to see an end to this dictatorship. Thirty years of (President Hosni) Mubarak is enough. We've had enough of the state of emergency. Prices are going up and up," he said.
Demonstrations are illegal in Egypt, which has been ruled by President Mubarak since 1981. The government tolerates little dissent and opposition demonstrations are routinely outlawed.
In Washington, the White House urged the Egyptian government to allow protests to go ahead, describing the situation as "an important opportunity to be responsive to the aspirations of the Egyptian people".
Social media's role Tuesday's protests were co-ordinated through a Facebook page, where organisers say they are taking a stand against torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment. One page called for protesters all over Egypt to gather after prayers on Friday.
However, Wednesday brought reports that Facebook was being blocked inside Egypt.
Twitter also played a key part, with supporters inside and outside Egypt using the search term #jan25 to post news on Tuesday, but it was blocked later in the day.
BBC technology correspondent Mark Gregory says that while this clampdown has undoubtedly restricted access to information, technically minded protesters have found ways of evading the restrictions.
Many have stayed in touch by routing their messages through proxy servers - web facilities based in other countries.
The government blamed the violence on the banned Islamist movement the Muslim Brotherhood, although this group was reported to have been ambivalent about the protests.
One opposition leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, had called on Egyptians to take part in the protests.
Tunisia's President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted from power and fled the country earlier this month, after weeks of protests in which dozens of people were killed.
Egypt has many of the same social and political problems that brought about the unrest in Tunisia - rising food prices, high unemployment and anger at official corruption.
However, the population of Egypt has a much lower level of education than Tunisia. Illiteracy is high and internet penetration is low.
There are deep frustrations in Egyptian society, our Cairo correspondent says, adding that Egypt is widely seen to have lost power, status and prestige in the three decades of President Mubarak's rule.
Are you in Cairo or elsewhere in Egypt? Are you attending protests? You can send us your experiences using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions
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