The Egyptian Ministry of the Interior has warned protesters that criminal gangs may seek to provoke violence at Tahrir Square in central Cairo, Al-Ahram reported on Thursday.
According to intelligence gathered by security forces, a group of criminals may try to shoot at demonstrators in Tahrir Square from surrounding buildings to cause conflict between police and protesters.
The Interior Ministry urged protesters to organize voluntary patrols and secure entrances to buildings to prevent criminals from entering.
Rallies demanding a speedy transition to democratically elected authorities started peacefully on Friday turning violent Saturday, with Clashes between protestors and police erupting throughout the weekend in Cairo and other cities.
In an unsuccessful bid to stop the violence, the country's entire cabinet stepped down on Monday. Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) Chairman Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi announced on Tuesday that parliamentary elections would be held on November 28 and presidential elections by the end of June 2012, however violence continued until Thursday morning, killing at least 35 people.
The fighting between protestors and police on Tahrir Square ended early Thursday morning after the parties reached agreement on a temporary cease-fire.
Nine months after the February ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak, Tantawi said the ruling military council is ready to hold a referendum on the immediate transfer of power to a civilian administration.
