Live from Cairo

Inside The National videographer Ashraf Helmi is in Tahrir Square in Cairo and sending reports to the National.

Follow him at Twitter at TheNationalUAE via #Ashraf.

Or return to this article for updates of comments, audio files and photos.

Comments live from Cairo

17:12 My estimates 200k different groups setting up different zones to protest: MB kifaya azhar etc

17:13 Taxi was set alight on route to tahrir, citizens put it out with sand from ground

17:16 300 pro mubarak demonstrators outside foreign ministry hemmed in by army for protection

17:21 Carnival atmosphere but some fighting in places a few pro mubarak supporters here


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17:27 People making a big human Irhal (go) sign on the floor so that helicopter in the sky will see it :)

17:36 Prayer is over some people starting to leave but huge numbers remain

17:36 Azhar supporters here in big numbers

Everyone is contained in Tahrir, the army have succeeded in preventing their march to the palace

18:40 no sign of any sexual harassment here despite the crush. there are higher concerns

18:42 word going round trucks of armed men with guns stopped trying to get into the square

18:43 There are chants of mubarak today is your last day, but we are all very disconnected in the square

18:52 Citizens taking it upon themselves to grab a rubbish bag and clean the streets

19:00 One protester: fine. If he doesn't go today he goes tomorrow

19:19 One voxpopper - we want mubarak, he gives us safety, but we don't want the regime

Ashraf's phone battery has run out and is unable to file any more comments at present. If you have photos of the protest send them to yourpics@thenational.ae.

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