Egypt Bans Protests, But Streets Still Full

Egypt banned all protest gatherings today, warning that any protesters in the street would face “immediate” arrests. But thousands took to the streets anyway, according to Reuters. By early this morning, police had used tear gas and rubber bullets to drive protesters out of a major Cairo square where they congregated yesterday, but there have been reports of smaller protests throughout the city, according to the New York Times.

As many as 3,000 people gathered outside Cairo’s court complex, only to be driven out by police riot trucks. Hundreds more gathered outside a morgue in Suez, demanding the release of the three people killed yesterday. At the Egyptian Press Association, police beat back hundreds of protesters with batons, arresting eight local journalists, according to YNet News. Social media sites continue to buzz with calls for protest, but Twitter has confirmed that it’s blocked in the country, and Facebook appears to be partially blocked as well, according to the AP. (More Egypt stories.)