Three dead in Egypt protests: security official

CAIRO: Two protesters and a policeman died on Tuesday during demonstrations staged across Egypt demanding the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, a security official and medics said.

The protesters, Ahmed Soliman Gaber and Mustafa Ragab, died in the port city of Suez in clashes between police and demonstrators, medical officials told media.

A policeman, Ahmed Aziz, died from his wounds in Cairo, where thousands had gathered in central Cairo's Tahrir square, the security official said.

In several cities, including Cairo and Suez, police fired tear gas against protesters who responded by throwing rocks at police.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Egypt on Tuesday, facing down a massive police presence, in protests inspired by Tunisia's popular uprising.

Despite some 20,000 to 30,000 police being deployed in the centre of Cairo, demonstrators had broken police barriers to march towards the square.

The protest, called by the pro-democracy youth group the April 6 Movement, coincided with a national holiday to mark Police Day.

Protests also broke out in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, the Nile Delta cities of Mansura, Mahalla, Kafr el-Sheikh and Tanta, and in the southern cities of Aswan and Assiut, witnesses said.