Al-Tahrīr Square, once the pride and joy of each and every Egyptian, was the scene of fresh bloody confrontations between police forces and hundreds of knife-wielding and stone-pelting demonstrators on Tuesday and Wednesday (June 28 and June 29, 2011).

Dozens on either side were wounded in the clashes while scores others were arrested in the incidents, blamed by political powers on the remnants of the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP).

Anti-riot police forces used tear gas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators.

In a bid to cool down the situation, Minister of Interior Mansūr al-Issawī ordered that all policemen withdraw from al-Tahrīr Square and head for the ministry premises to protect it against possible attacks by the protesters.

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