Troops In Riot Gear Patrol Cairo As Demonstrators Plan Mass Protests - CNN

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Troops in riot gear patrol Cairo as demonstrators plan mass protests
By the CNN Wire Staff
February 4, 2011 1:47 a.m. EST]

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Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Troops wearing riot gear toted automatic weapons and stood guard in the area around Cairo's Tahrir Square early Friday, as anti-government demonstrators promised another day of large protests to demand President Hosni Mubarak's resignation.

Security forces detained some people leaving the square, pointing guns at them and forcing them to lie on the ground. Others blocked the nearby October 6 bridge.

A handful of pro-government protesters cheered as large vans filled with security forces arrived at the square around 6 a.m. (11 p.m. ET). It was unclear whether those inside were members of the military or police.

Anti-government protesters have pledged to bring droves of demonstrators to the square Friday for what they dubbed a "Day of Farewell" and "Day of Departure."

Tension already was building in Cairo before dawn Friday, but it was not clear whether organizers of the protests -- scheduled to start after Friday prayers -- would be able to rally the numbers they had last week, or reach the presidential palace.

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More: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/04/egypt.protests/?hpt=T1

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