Egyptians swarm to Tahrir Square rally to demand end to army rule

Tens of thousands of Egyptians gathered at Tahrir Square in Cairo for a million-man rally on Tuesday to denounce the deadly crackdown on protesters during the past three days and demand a swift transition of power to civilian rule.

“Leave!” the huge crowd urged military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi from the iconic central plaza reported AFP.

One protester hung an effigy of a man in military uniform on a lamp post with a sign that read “the execution of the field marshal.”

The Tahrir Square rally came after days of deadly clashes pitting police against protesters demanding democratic change.

Egyptians frustrated with military rule battled police in the streets again on Tuesday as the generals scrambled to cope with the cabinet’s proffered resignation after bloodshed that has jolted plans for Egypt's first free election in decades.

Thousands of people defied tear gas wafting across Cairo's Tahrir Square, the focus of protests that have swelled since Friday into the gravest challenge yet to the generals who replaced Hosni Mubarak and who seem reluctant to relinquish military power and privilege.

The army council, headed by a 76-year-old field marshal who served as Mubarak's defense minister for two decades, was due to meet political parties to discuss the crisis, in which at least 36 people have been killed and more than 1,250 wounded.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in a stamen called on “all forces and citizens to commit to (restoring) calm, and creating an atmosphere of stability with the goal of pursuing the political process.”

The SCAF expressed its “deep sorrow over the deaths and injuries during the recent painful events, and offered its deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”

It said it ordered security forces “to take all necessary measures to secure the demonstrators and to exercise the utmost restraint.”

The statement also said that the SCAF has asked the justice ministry to form a fact-finding committee to investigate clashes that have killed scores of people.

Egypt’s parliamentary elections, scheduled to start on Nov. 28, will be held on time regardless of whether the current government stays in office or not, the state-run Middle East News Agency said, citing Deputy Prime Minister, Ali al-Selmy.

A draft legislation by Selmy was what prompted a ‘million-man’ march last Friday and led to the chaos now threatening to plunge the country into the abyss.

The proposed draft law contained “supra-constitutional principles” that seek to shield the military from the supervision of the parliament.

The protests were initially mainly just against the document, the bloody crackdown by military police prompted calls for the exit of the military forces from power.

Tens of thousands of people packed Cairo’s iconic Tahrir Square on Monday night, after clashes continued for a third straight day between protesters and police in and around the square.

They greeted news of the cabinet’s resignation with indifference, calling for the removal of the military rulers as clashes continued around the nearby interior ministry headquarters.

The United States, with strong ties to Egypt’s ruling generals, said it was “deeply concerned” by the violence and White House spokesman Jay Carney said it was important that U.S. ally Egypt move toward democratic elections.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland echoed the White House call for “free, fair elections,” and expressed the hope the electoral process would remain on schedule.

U.N. leader Ban Ki-moon called on the military council to “guarantee” civil liberties as he deplored the deaths in the clashes.