Protesters gather for more demonstrations in Egypt

Protesters enraged by Hosni Mubarak’s latest refusal to step down streamed into Cairo’s central square today and took positions outside key symbols of the hated regime, promising to expand their push to drive the Egyptian president out.

The stand-off posed a major test for the military as protesters stepped up calls for the army to intervene against Mubarak, a former air force commander.

The military’s Supreme Council held an “important” meeting this morning, which was chaired by Defence Minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the state news agency reported.

“The council will issue an important statement to the people after the meeting,” MENA said.

Last night Mubarak gave most of his powers to his vice president but refused to resign or leave the country, hours after the military made moves that had all the markings of a coup.

“We are waiting for a strong reaction from the army to Mubarak’s speech,” said Mohammed Mustapha, a protest spokesman. He said “huge numbers” of protesters were expected today.

Organisers said protesters were already camped outside the presidential palace and buildings housing the Cabinet, parliament and state TV. They planned rallies at six separate protest locations, in addition to Tahrir Square, the centre of the mass rallies that began on January 25.

Several hundred thousand people had packed into Tahrir Square yesterday, ecstatic with expectation that Mubarak would announce his resignation. Instead, they watched in shocked silence as he spoke. Some broke into tears. Others waved their shoes in the air in contempt. After the speech, they broke into chants of “Leave, leave, leave.”

Around 2,000 protesters then marched on the state television headquarters several blocks away from Tahrir, guarded by the military with barbed wire and tanks.

Prominent reform advocate Mohamed ElBaradei, whose supporters were among the organisers of the 18-day-old wave of protests, warned in a Twitter message that “Egypt will explode”.

“The army must save the country now,” the Nobel Peace laureate said. “I call on the Egyptian army to immediately interfere to rescue Egypt. The credibility of the army is on the line.”

“We have really achieved significant political accomplishments in a short time but the youth’s demand of the ouster (of Mubarak) has not been accomplished.”

Protesters’ hopes that Mubarak would resign had been raised when a council of the military’s top generals announced it had stepped in to secure the country, and a senior commander told protesters in Tahrir Square that all their demands would soon be met.

The military’s Supreme Council said that it was in permanent session, a status that it takes only in times of war. It said it was exploring “what measures and arrangements could be made to safeguard the nation, its achievements and the ambitions of its great people”.

In his address on state TV, Mubarak showed the strategy he has followed throughout the days of upheaval, trying to defuse the greatest challenge ever to his nearly three-decade authoritarian rule.

So far, he has made a series of largely superficial concessions while resolutely sticking to his refusal to step down immediately or allow steps that would undermine the grip of his regime.

Mubarak said he was “adamant to continue to shoulder my responsibility to protect the constitution and safeguard the interests of the people”. He vowed that he would remain in the country and said he was addressing the youth in Tahrir as “the president of the republic”.

President Barack Obama appeared dismayed by Mubarak’s announcement. He said in a statement that it was not clear that an “immediate, meaningful” transition to democracy was taking place and warned that too many Egyptians are not convinced that the government is serious about making genuine change.