Egypt protests
Egypt has banned street protests, a day after thousands of people joined a "day of the revolt" against the government of President Hosni Mubarak.
Public gatherings, demonstrations and marches are now banned, the country's official news agency reports.
Anyone joining the unauthorized action will be detained and prosecuted, the Department of the Interior.
Three people died during demonstrations at the national web of inspiration, which were dispersed with tear gas during the night.
Police also used water cannons as they forced the demonstrators to Tahrir Square, a symbolic place in the heart of downtown Cairo.
The protesters were inspired by the recent uprising in Tunisia, pledging to stay until the government fell.
Jon Leyne BBC reported that some demonstrators began to gather again on Wednesday morning.
He said there was little evidence of a strong police presence.
Demonstrations are rare in Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak that has been in power since 1981, tolerating little dissent.
In Washington, the White House urged the Egyptian government to allow protests to go forward, describing the situation as "an important opportunity" for the nation.
Foreign Minister of France said it regretted the loss of life in Egypt, but said that democracy must be promoted in all countries of the world.
"Mubarak's the coward"
Tuesday's event was coordinated on a Facebook page, where organizers said they are taking a stand against torture, poverty, corruption and unemployment.
They said the rally was to mark "the beginning of the end".
Our correspondent said it was unclear how many people respond to the call online, but in the end, the turnout was more than organizers would have hoped.
Police were taken aback by the anger of the crowd and let the protesters moving towards the Tahrir Square, near the parliament building, he said.
Organizers of an event called opposition said on Wednesday, news agency AFP.
Microblogging site Twitter has also played a key role, with supporters inside and outside of Egypt using the search term # Jan25 to post news of the day.
However, Twitter has confirmed later Tuesday that he had been locked inside Egypt from 1600 GMT, which meant many were unable to post updates to the scene.
"We believe the open exchange of corporate information and benefits of viewpoints and helps governments communicate with their people," he said on his Twitter account record.
The anger of the crowd was largely focused on the President Tuesday, with thousands demanding his resignation and "Down with Mubarak" scrawled on the walls of buildings.
But at 0100 local time (2300 GMT Tuesday) police moved in, tear gas and demonstrators in the streets driving around. It was reported that some people had been beaten by police.
"It broke my ugly of everything from shooting, [the police] water cannons and running with sticks," one of the last to leave the protesters, Gigi Ibrahim, told The Associated Press.
State television said a policeman died in clashes.
Demonstrations were also held in other parts of the country Tuesday, including the eastern town of Ismailia.
Thousands joined protests in the northern port city of Alexandria, some chanting. "Revolution, revolution, like a volcano, cons Mubarak the coward"
Two protesters died in Suez, he said the doctors.
In Washington, the White House said the Egyptian government had "an important opportunity to meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people."
In a statement, he said Egypt should "pursue the political, economic and social factors that can improve their lives and help Egypt to prosper."
"The United States pledged to work with Egypt and the Egyptian people to advance these goals," the statement added.
"Rudder" opposition
The Egyptian government said it had allowed the demonstrators "to express their demands and exercise their freedom of expression."
He blames the violence against the Islamist movement banned Muslim Brotherhood, saying that his supporters "began to riot, damage to public property and public throw stones at the police."
However, our correspondent says that one opposition leader, Mohamed ElBaradei, called on Egyptians to take part in these events, the Muslim Brotherhood had been more ambivalent.
Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted and fled the country earlier this month, after weeks of demonstrations in which dozens of people were killed.
Egypt has many of the same social and political problems that have caused trouble in Tunisia - rising food prices, high unemployment and anger at official corruption.
However, the population of Egypt has a much lower level of education as Tunisia. Illiteracy is high and Internet penetration is low.
There is deep frustration in Egyptian society, says our correspondent in Cairo, but the Egyptians were almost as disappointed by the opposition as they are with the government, and even the Muslim Brotherhood seems rudder.
Our correspondent adds that Egypt is widely regarded as having lost power, status and prestige in the three decades of rule by President Mubarak.
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