Clashes erupt between Egypt's army supporters, opponents in Tahrir

Clashes erupted on Tuesday between opponents and supporters of the Egyptian army in Cairo's Tahrir square, where protesters are marking the second anniversary of deadly clashes that took place in 2011 on Mohamed Mahmoud Street near the iconic square. In November 2011, around 47 people were killed in confrontations between the police and protesters opposing the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which was running a transitional period after the ouster of president Hosni Mubarak. Three people were killed during the commemoration of the first anniversary in 2012. The security forces fired tear gas to disperse the pro-army protesters in the square and a march coming from Mohamed Mahmoud Street, a Xinhua reporter said. Hundreds of Egyptians took to the street on Tuesday, some of them opposing the police practices against peaceful protesters during 2011 Mohamed Mahmoud events, and others showing support for the military which toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July. The protests come one day after Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi laid along with the Cairo governor and top officials a symbolic foundation stone at a memorial for slain protesters in the square. Dozens of the revolutionary movements, including April 6 Movement and Tamroud "Rebel" campaign, which stirred June 30 protests against the Brotherhood's rule announced on Monday their participation in the martyrs' commemoration. However, Tamroud urged on Tuesday its supporters to keep away from the square to avoid any violence, after some protesters in their twenties had badly damaged the memorial on Monday. Although a pro-Morsi Islamist coalition did not announce it would take part in the commemoration, dozens of Muslim Brotherhood students staged a protests Tuesday at Cairo University, official news agency MENA reported. The students chanted against the army and police calling for Morsi's reinstatement. Meantime, security measures were beefed up near the Ittihadiya presidential Palace and Rabaa al-Adawiya Square, the main camp of Morsi's supporters in eastern Cairo's Nasr City, which was cleared out by the security forces mid-August.