Liveblogging Egypt: Day 6

Tracking the ongoing demonstrations and government response

The pro-Mubarak group flooded the square, and its strategy became clear: All the entrances to the plaza were being probed and, if found lightly defended, overrun. I was now on the outside among the forward surge; no one was permitted to leave, but a trickle of captured protesters came out, each surrounded by at least a hundred screaming Mubarak supporters, and being beaten so intensely that I couldn't see their faces, only a circle of waving sticks and fists, raining down on whatever unfortunate was at the center. One female protester was brought out, thrashed, and delivered to a military unit inside the Egyptian Museum grounds. At one point a man was being crowd-surfed out and beaten; one of the pro-Mubarak men said he was a "Chinese journalist." "We will stay," the man said, "and then go into the square and take it over."

1:25 p.m. EST / 8:25 p.m. Cairo  In an ongoing press conference, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the time is "now" for the Egyptian government to "begin the transition" to a democratic government. "It is imperative that the violence we are seeing stop and that the transition that we talked about last night begin immediately," he said. This repeats the U.S. position that Mubarak must leave office right away. Gibbs describes Obama's conversation with Mubarak as "direct," "frank," and "candid," all standard diplomatic codes for what a normal person might call harsh or confrontational. Gibbs also reiterated that the U.S. will continue to "review" its substantial aid package to Egypt based on the behavior of the country's leadership, whoever that is. Gibbs refused questions on what exactly the U.S. would like Egypt's transition to look like -- it could mean an interim government, for example, or moving up the September presidential elections -- but reiterated that it must happen now.

1:12 p.m. EST / 8:12 p.m. Cairo  Is the military preparing to force out Mubarak? The New York Times thinks so. "Instead of protecting him, there is increasing evidence that over the last three days the military establishment -- one of the most respected institutions in Egyptian society, and the crucial factor in deciding control of the streets -- may have been moving toward pushing Mr. Mubarak out," they report. Other than fragmentary and unconfirmed reports of splitting up clashing pro-government forces from protesters, the military has so far not intervened. However, there are some signs (see time stamp 12:33 p.m. EST) that the military may be preparing to retake the now-chaotic streets of Cairo.

1:05 p.m. EST / 8:05 p.m. Cairo  The New York Times reports on the "diplomatic scramble" in Washington as the Obama administration struggles to find the right response.

The story of how Mr. Mubarak, an Arab autocrat who only last month was the mainstay of America's policy in a turbulent region, suddenly found himself pushed toward the exit is first and foremost a tale of the Arab street.

But it is also one of political calculations, in Cairo and Washington, which were upset repeatedly as the crowds swelled. And it is the story of a furious scramble by the Obama White House -- right up until Mr. Obama's call Tuesday night for change to begin "now" -- to catch up with a democracy movement unfolding so rapidly that Washington came close to being left behind.

12:48 p.m. EST / 7:48 p.m. Cairo  Violence against journalists, already high today, has increased over the past hour. Historically, governments tend to target journalists in advance of an act it does not want the world to witness. Government forces have eased their assault in recent hours but there are fears the attacks could resume in the night.

12:41 p.m. EST / 7:41 p.m. Cairo  Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has issued a statement praising the protesters and military, declaring its allegiance with all other opposition groups regardless of ideology, and refusing to negotiate with the government amid violence. Follow the above link for the original Arabic and English translation.

12:33 p.m. EST / 7:33 p.m. Cairo  Based on these reports from Reuters' Alastair Sharp, the U.S. may be looking to the Egyptian military to intervene in Cairo. Al Jazeera reports that soldiers are giving "a very strong warning" for all protesters to "go inside and take cover." If the military is finally stepping in, it's not clear whether dispersing the protesters could vouchsafe Mubarak's hold on power, or if the military is planning to itself move against the government.

12:21 p.m. EST / 7:21 p.m. Cairo  Protesters in Tahrir Square have begun collecting food and finding shelter within the square in what one Al Jazeera correspondent called "a siege mentality." With government forces now blocking most or all exits (a single exit was at one point open behind a mosque on the square, it's not clear if it still is), protesters expect to be stuck in the square overnight. Resources, however, are scarce, and there are many injured. Volunteers have organized a sort of makeshift hospital in the square, where one doctor estimated 1,500 injured people. Emergency vehicles have not been permitted into the square. Though the government forces have eased their assault, what began as a day of violence risks ending in humanitarian crisis.

12:09 p.m. EST / 7:09 p.m. Cairo  An eyewitness tells Al Arabiya that the military has begun to separate pro-government forces and protesters clashing with one another. It's unclear if this is an isolated incident or part of a larger military intervention. The military has so far stood by passively during the crackdown.

11:56 a.m. EST / 6:56 p.m. Cairo  National Journal has published a very handy interactive graphic detailing the monarchies and republicans (such as they are) of the Middle East and North Africa. National Journal describes the current situation in those countries and the stability of their regimes.

11:48 a.m. EST / 6:48 p.m. Cairo  The clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square are becoming increasingly violent. A protester on the phone with Al Jazeera describes "hundreds" of injured around her, "many" of them unconscious. This photo appears to show a molotov cocktail being thrown at a tank in the square. Violence against the military risks forcing them to intervene in the fighting; whichever side the military takes, their involvement could dramatically increase the number of casualties in Cairo. Below that are reports from two reporters in the square.

11:18 a.m. EST / 6:18 p.m. Cairo  Independent Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reports that the Egyptian government is formally rejecting the international calls for a "transition" in government and an end to the violence in Cairo.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday expressed its rejection of European and American calls for the Egyptian government to immediately embark on a transition period.

11:08 a.m. EST / 6:08 p.m. Cairo  The Egyptian military is taking its first proactive stance since violent clashes began in Cairo, acting to put out fires that have spread in Tahrir Square from molotov cocktails thrown by government forces from nearby rooftops, reports Al Jazeera Arabic.

10:50 a.m. EST / 5:50 p.m. Cairo  The White House has issued a statement condemning the violence in Egypt.

The United States deplores and condemns the violence that is taking place in Egypt, and we are deeply concerned about attacks on the media and peaceful demonstrators. We repeat our strong call for restraint.

10:49 a.m. EST / 5:49 p.m. Cairo  This photo, taken earlier today by Al Jazeera's Evan Hill, shows camel-riding pro-government forces pushing through a crowd of frightened protesters. Video from CNN is below.

10:45 a.m. EST / 5:45 p.m. Cairo  Cairo's protesters, long wary of U.S. interference, are now pleading for the U.S. to step in and intervene, CNN's Ben Wedeman reports.

10:43 a.m. EST / 5:43 p.m. Cairo  Al Jazeera English is showing footage of pro-government forces throwing molotov cocktails from rooftops down at the protesters below. This appears to be the harshest act of regime violence since riot police used live fire on Saturday.

10:39 a.m. EST / 5:39 p.m. Cairo  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said that if there is to be a "transition" in Egypt's government it should happen "now." He strongly condemned the violence and urged reform throughout Arab governments.

10:38 a.m. EST / 5:38 p.m. Cairo  The numbers of government forces throwing heavy debris from rooftops have increased dramatically throughout the past hour.

10:19 a.m. EST / 5:19 p.m. Cairo  Opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei has called on the Egyptian military to intervene and stop the street battles overtaking Cairo. Many civilian protesters, and perhaps the U.S. government, will be looking to the military to step in if violence continues. The Guardian's Brian Whitaker explains the Egyptian military's likely reason for refusing to intervene.

The role of an army is to protect the state, not the regime or the revolution. Anything else is an interference in the sovereignty of the people.

10:10 a.m. EST / 5:10 p.m. Cairo  Democracy Now's Sharif Kouddous reports that government forces are actively seeking out journalists, especially from Al Jazeera, which has been officially banned from broadcasting from Egypt.

10:05 a.m. EST / 5:05 p.m. Cairo  This photo shows government forces throwing debris from the top of a building on Tahrir Square. They have so far thrown rocks, furniture, and other heavy wooden, concrete and metal objects into the civilian crown 10 or 11 floors below.

9:57 a.m. EST / 4:57 p.m. Cairo  Government forces are now throwing rocks and other heavy objects from nearby rooftops and windows, which are as high as 11 flights up. Some of the forces are using tear gas against protesters. They have so far pushed the protesters back by about 100 yards. The New York Times' Nick Kristof reports from Cairo, "Hard to know casualties, but they're adding up."

9:52 a.m. EST / 4:52 p.m. Cairo  The U.S. has so far not publicly responded to the violence in Egypt. But BBC's Kim Ghattas reports this peek into the U.S. thinking. Officials appear, perhaps understandably, to be scrambling to respond to the still-uncertain situation.

9:45 a.m. EST / 4:45 p.m. Cairo  A representative from Human Rights Watch in Tahrir Square tells Al Jazeera he believes that the Egyptian military has "in word and deed" shown that they want the anti-Mubarak protests to end and the protesters to go home. He sees the military's refusal to move against the government forces as an indication that they are willing to let those forces clear the square, even if violently.

9:33 a.m. EST / 4:33 p.m. Cairo  At least one molotov cocktail (a homemade explosive) has been thrown in Cairo, according to U.K. Channel Four reporter Jonathan Rugman. This from Al Jazeera's Dan Nolan:

9:29 a.m. EST / 4:29 p.m. Cairo  Anti-Mubarak protesters and government forces are waging pitched battles in the streets, hurling stones and debris at one another. Some government forces also carry sticks and batons, with unconfirmed reports of some wielding machetes. Here is one scene from Cairo:

9:18 a.m. EST / 4:18 p.m. Cairo  Clashes between pro-government forces and civilian protesters are turning increasingly violent, with what can only be described as battle lines forming in the streets. More photos here.

9:05 a.m. EST / 4:05 p.m. Cairo  Pro-Mubarak forces have forcibly seized military vehicles and are attempting to use them against the civilian protesters. Gunshots are clearly audible in the background of Al Jazeera's broadcast. McClatchy's Shashank Bengali also reports gunshots in Cairo.

8:59 a.m. EST / 3:59 p.m. Cairo  Graeme Wood, contributing editor to The Atlantic, reports on Twitter from Tahrir Square, "Beaten (lightly), had camera stolen by secret police at Egyptian Museum." He had posting photos from the clash; view them here.

8:50 a.m. EST / 3:50 p.m. Cairo  Internet traffic appears to have been largely restored to Egypt as of about 5 a.m. EST or noon Cairo time.

8:35 a.m. EST / 3:35 p.m. Cairo  It appears that Mubarak's crackdown has begun. The protesters so far vastly outnumber the pro-Mubarak forces -- posing as civilians but widely considered to be internal security forces -- but the violence threatens to dissipate or splinter the opposition. This raises two important questions: will the military intervene and how will the U.S. respond? Though generally supportive of protesters, the military has so far stood down, watching passively. Though the military certainly has the ability to stop the pro-Mubarak forces, using violence against government security forces would be an incredible step.  As for Obama, both his speech last night and his phone call to Mubarak explicitly urged the Egyptian president against this crackdown. The real risk for Mubarak may be neither the military not the Obama administration but news-watching people around the world. This is not Mubarak's first violent crackdown, but it is to play out on live television, in real time.

8:24 a.m. EST / 3:24 p.m. Cairo  The pro-Mubarak demonstrators are widely believed to in fact be plain-clothed police officers, who have plagued the protesters for days, and hired by the government. Al Jazeera Arabic reports some pro-government demonstrators have been found with police ID cards; others have reportedly fired tear gas canisters, which the military does not possess. Foreign Policy's Blake Hounshell explains this is an old Mubarak trick; National Journal's Marc Ambinder says the Obama administration believes the pro-government demonstrators are "intelligence-security" forces in plain clothes.

8:16 a.m. EST / 3:16 p.m. Cairo  Tens of thousands of pro-Mubarak demonstrators have reached Cairo's Tahrir Square, the heart of the protest movement, quickly bringing violence into the long-peaceful square. Both sides have begun hurling rocks at one another. Gregg Carlstrom reports "the atmosphere of a lynch mob" from the pro-Mubarak demonstrators, who are actively seeking anti-Mubarak protesters, journalists, and Americans. The BBC reports that some pro-government supporters are riding horses and camels.