3 killed in clash in Egypt

Associated Press

CAIRO

Egyptian police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and beat protesters to clear thousands of people from a central Cairo square Wednesday after the biggest demonstrations in years against President Hosni Mubarak’s authoritarian rule.

Two protesters and a police officer were killed in the nationwide demonstrations inspired by Tunisia’s uprising, which also demanded a solution to Egypt’s grinding poverty and were likely to fuel dissent in a presidential election year.

Mobilized largely on the Internet, the waves of protesters filled Cairo’s central Tahrir — or Liberation — Square on Tuesday, some hurling rocks and climbing on armored police trucks.

“Down with Hosni Mubarak, down with the tyrant,” chanted the crowds. “We don’t want you!” they screamed as thousands of riot police deployed in a massive security operation that failed to quell protests.

Thousands of demonstrators stood their ground for what they vowed would be an all-night sit-in in Tahrir Square.