Egypt protests (Feb. 3)

Protesters and regime supporters skirmished in a second day of rock-throwing battles at a central Cairo square while new lawlessness spread around the city.

Section:Gallery

Thu., Feb. 3, 2011

Anti-government protesters pray while clashes with pro-government supporters take place behind them, near the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Protesters and regime supporters skirmished in a second day of rock-throwing battles at a central Cairo square while new lawlessness spread around the city.

Ben Curtis Associated Press
Egypt's recently appointed Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq speaks to the media at the Ministry of the Interior in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday Feb.3, 2011. Egypt's prime minister apologizes for the attack by regime supporters on anti-government protesters in central Cairo, vowing to investigate who was behind it. The protesters accuse the regime of sending a force of paid thugs and policemen in civilian clothes to attack them with rocks, sticks and firebombs to crush their movement to oust President Hosni Mubarak.

Victoria Hazou Associated Press
A wounded anti-government protester is tended during clashes in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Another bout of heavy gunfire and clashes erupted Thursday around dusk in the Cairo square at the center of Egypt's anti-government chaos, while new looting and arson spread around the capital. Gangs of thugs supporting President Hosni Mubarak attacked reporters, foreigners, and human rights workers and the army rounded up foreign journalists.

Sebastian Scheiner Associated Press
Wounded Egyptian anti government protesters sitin Cairo's main square, Egypt, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. New clashes are heating up and shots are being fired in the air around Cairo's central Tahrir Square as anti-government protesters push back regime supporters two sides are trading volleys of stone-throwing, but government backers are falling back and protesters are swarming onto a highway overpass from which their rivals had pelted them with stones and firebombs overnight.

Emilio Morenatti Associated Press
Tourists make their way to a terminal to attempt to leave Egypt, at Cairo airport, Egypt, Wednesday, Feb.2, 2011. The U.S. began evacuating nonessential government personnel and their families Wednesday, while crowds piled up at Cairo's airport as more than 8,000 people played the odds in hopes of securing a seat aboard a commercial airline that would allow them to escape the chaos engulfing Egypt.

Victoria Hazou Associated Press
People line up next to a military vehicle in Cairo's main square, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. New clashes are heating up again and shots are being fired in the air around Cairo's central Tahrir Square as anti-government protesters push back regime supporters. The two sides are trading volleys of stone-throwing, but government backers are falling back and protesters are swarming onto a highway overpass from which their rivals had pelted them with stones and firebombs overnight.

Tara Todras-Whitehill Associated Press
A Egyptian pro-government protester is prevented throwing stones by soldiers in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. New clashes are heating up again and shots are being fired in the air around Cairo's central Tahrir Square as anti-government protesters push back regime supporters. The two sides are trading volleys of stone-throwing, but government backers are falling back and protesters are swarming onto a highway overpass from which their rivals had pelted them with stones and firebombs overnight.

Khalil Hamra Associated Press
A soldiers gestures in front of anti-government protesters just outside Cairo's main square, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Egypt's prime minister apologized for the attack by regime supporters on anti-government protesters in central Cairo, vowing to investigate who was behind it. The protesters accuse the regime of sending a force of paid thugs and policemen in civilian clothes to attack them with rocks, sticks and firebombs to crush their movement to oust President Hosni Mubarak.

Sebastian Scheiner Associated Press
An anti-government protester uses water bottles as a protection for his head in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Egyptian army tanks and soldiers moved to end violence between anti-government protesters and supporters of President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo's central square on Thursday after standing by for nearly a day as the two sides battled with rocks, sticks, bottles and firebombs.

Ben Curtis Associated Press
An anti-government protester swings an Egyptian flag, while smoking a cigarette, to beckon others to reinforce those at the frontline of clashes with pro-government supporters, near the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Protesters and regime supporters skirmished in a second day of rock-throwing battles at a central Cairo square while new lawlessness spread around the city.

Ben Curtis Associated Press
The owner of a tourist shop that sold souvenirs reinforces barricades over the smashed front of his building, located in the middle of where clashes have been taking place between pro-government supporters and anti-government protesters, near the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Anti-government protesters and regime supporters clashed in a second day of rock-throwing battles, while gangs of thugs supporting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak attacked reporters, foreigners and rights workers as the army rounded up foreign journalists and new looting and arson were reported.

Ben Curtis Associated Press
Anti-government protesters are seen atop burnt out vehicles during clashes in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Protesters and regime supporters skirmished in a second day of rock-throwing battles at a central Cairo square while new lawlessness spread around the city.

Emilio Morenatti Associated Press
Fireworks, thrown by an unknown side, explode above clashes between pro-government supporters and anti-government protesters near the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Anti-government protesters and regime supporters clashed in a second day of rock-throwing battles, while gangs of thugs supporting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak attacked reporters, foreigners and rights workers as the army rounded up foreign journalists and new looting and arson were reported.

Ben Curtis Associated Press
An anti government protester receives assistance after being wounded during clashes in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Egypt's prime minister apologized for an attack by government supporters on protesters in a surprising show of contrition Thursday, and the government offered more concessions to try to calm the wave of demonstrations demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.

Emilio Morenatti Associated Press
Anti-government protesters gather in Cairo's main square, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. New clashes are heating up again and shots are being fired in the air around Cairo's central Tahrir Square as anti-government protesters push back regime supporters.

Tara Todras-Whitehill Associated Press
An anti-government protester stands atop a barricade in Cairo's main square, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Egypt's prime minister apologized for the attack by regime supporters on anti-government protesters in central Cairo, vowing to investigate who was behind it. The protesters accuse the regime of sending a force of paid thugs and policemen in civilian clothes to attack them with rocks, sticks and firebombs to crush their movement to oust President Hosni Mubarak.

Sebastian Scheiner Associated Press
ALTERNATE CROP OF BCO162 - Anti-government protesters throw stones during clashes in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. Egypt's prime minister apologized for an attack by government supporters on protesters in a surprising show of contrition Thursday, and the government offered more concessions to try to calm the wave of demonstrations demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.

Ben Curtis Associated Press