Scammer
Banned
[video]http://cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2011/01/25/ctw.intv.elbaradei.cnn[/video]
-- Egyptian security forces turned water cannons and tear gas on protesters in the early hours of Wednesday morning to try to break up unprecedented anti-government demonstrations, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.
The government "will not allow any provocative movement or a protest or rallies or demonstrations," the ministry said.
The clampdown comes after thousands of protesters spilled into the streets of Egypt on Tuesday, an unprecedented display of anti-government rage inspired in part by the tumult in the nearby North African nation of Tunisia.
Three people died in the clashes between protesters and police, according to Egypt's official MENA news agency. Two demonstrators died in the eastern city of Suez, and one policeman was killed in Cairo, it said. MENA reported that at least 49 people have been injured.
Earlier, Egypt's Interior Ministry said that 36 police officers had been hurt during the protests.
Throngs in the sprawling capital city marched from the huge Tahrir Square toward the parliament building, according to CNN reporters on the scene.
Demonstrators threw rocks at police, and police hurled rocks back. Tear-gas canisters were shot at demonstrators, and the protesters threw them back.
Protest organizers said they hope to capture the regional momentum for political change set by Tunisians, who 10 days ago forced the collapse of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's 23-year rule.
The grievances were foreshadowed by several Egyptians who set themselves or tried to set themselves on fire this month, mirroring the self-immolation of a Tunisian man whose action spurred the uprising there.
The Tunisian uprising was the most successful revolt in the region since 1979, but it is anybody's guess whether uprisings will spread to other Arabic-speaking lands.
Juan Cole, a Middle East historian at the University of Michigan, says Tunisia is different from other Arab nations. Tunisia, he said, is the "most secular country in the Arab world." Its traditions have favored women's rights, and its Islamist influence is negligible.
The United States and other governments are monitoring the demonstrations in Cairo and elsewhere closely. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged all people to "exercise restraint" and supported "the fundamental right of expression and assembly for all people."
"But our assessment is that the Egyptian government is stable and is looking for ways to respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people," she said.
To highlight the role of police corruption, the protest organizers in Egypt picked January 25 -- Police Day and a national holiday -- to hold protests.
The protests started off small, but they grew as people came to the center of the city from bridges over the Nile River.
Police were restrained and at times were seemingly outnumbered by the protesters, who sang the national anthem and inched forward to express their ire toward the government.
Witnesses said large groups of plainclothes police were heading to Tahrir Square.
Protesters had been expressing their anger over the rising cost of living, failed economic policies and corruption, but all those concerns were distilled into one overriding demand: the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, in power for three decades.
The outpouring included young and old, Christians and Muslims, students, workers and businesspeople.
"We breathe corruption in the air," said one demonstrator, who along with others said their children have no future.
At its peak there were perhaps 15,000 to 20,000 people in Tahrir Square, but that crowd later dwindled to about 5,000 to 8,000. The main road in front of parliament, Qasr Al-Aini, was closed to traffic. The square is two blocks from parliament.
"Egyptians have the right to express themselves," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said of the protests.
The Interior Ministry called on demonstrators to follow the law and avoid threatening the safety of bystanders, the public and private property.
Social media have been all-important in mobilizing and organizing protests. But bloggers and others in Egypt reported problems with electronic communication later in the day. Activists can't access their cell phones or text messages, and opposition websites can't be accessed. Twitter was blocked in Egypt about 11 a.m. ET, the company said.
There were other demonstrations in Cairo suburbs of Heliopolis, Shubra Al-Khaima, Muhandasin and Dar Al-Salam.
