UPDATE:
Birds eye view of Tahrir at 8:40 PM EET, via journalist Sharif Kouddous, Twitter:
Earlier:
Protesters are amassing across Egypt today in outrage over issues ranging from the upcoming presidential run-offs to Saturday's Mubarak trial verdict. Thousands of protesters are already filling the streets in what is expected to the biggest rally in Cairo since the height of the Egyptian uprising last year.
Egyptian activists and the Muslim Brotherhood called for mass rallies in a bid to oust Mubarak era candidate Ahmed Shafiq from the presidential race and to express anger over Saturday's rulings which saw the acquittals of six security officials and the life sentence of former president Hosni Mubarak; many believe Mubarak should have been given a harsher sentence.
Eliminated presidential candidates Abdel Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, Khaled Ali and Hamdeen Sabbahi are each leading a march to Tahrir Square as part of the nationwide protests.
"We believe that our revolution is not over. The military must leave power and hand it to civilians," said Mahmud Bahira, a protester from the Revolution Youth movement.
Read here for live updates throughout the day.
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ONtv's livestreaming coverage of Egypt:
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Ahram: Live update: Abul-Fotouh, Ali and Sabbahi lead Egypt mass protests
Preparations for Tuesday's million-man march have begun with large numbers descending on Cairo's Tahrir Square.
Several marches are expected to converge in the epicenter of last year's uprising, as thousands of demonstrators are expected to turn out soon in other Egyptian cities.
The revolutionary masses are protesting the verdict in the trial of ex-president Mubarak and his senior associates, as well as the candidacy of Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last premier, in the presidential election runoff.
Eliminated presidential candidates Abdel Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, Khaled Ali and Hamdeen Sabbahi will each lead a march to Tahrir Square as part of the nationwide protests scheduled for Tuesday.
The demonstrations were called for by revolutionary groups to protest against the verdict in the trial of former president Hosni Mubarak and his senior associates as well as the candidacy of Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last premier, in the presidential election runoff.
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Reuters: Egypt activists demand tougher justice for Mubarak
Activists urged Egyptians to turn out for a big protest on Tuesday to reclaim a revolt they say has been hijacked after Hosni Mubarak was jailed for life but top security officials freed in a trial seen as a sign his old guard remain in charge.
Although Mubarak was imprisoned on Saturday over the killing of protesters, he escaped the death penalty and senior officers tried with him were acquitted for lack of evidence so many now believe the ex-president could win with an appeal.
The calls to hit the streets, almost 16 months after Mubarak was toppled, have also been fuelled by a looming June 16-17 presidential run-off vote between Mubarak’s last prime minister and a conservative Islamist, a choice that has polarised Egypt.
Many Egyptians who voted for centrist candidates in last month’s first round now face a wrenching choice between Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, which already controls parliament, and Ahmed Shafiq, an ex-military man like Mubarak.
“No to Mursi, no to Shafiq, the revolution is half way through,” read a placard held up by one youth in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, calling for a boycott of the vote. Hundreds were already in the square on Tuesday morning.
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