Photo Gallery Showdown in Cairo
The uprising against Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak grew massively on Tuesday, with hundreds of thousands of protesters converging on Cairo's Tahrir Square. Tens of thousands also protested in Alexandria and elsewhere.
On the square, protesters shouted chants against the regime.
"Down with Mubarak," many repeated at Tuesday's "Million Man March."
Mubarak supporters could also be heard. Here, Egyptian policeman are carried by the pro-Mubarak supporters. The police are widely hated amongst the Egyptian population, and the Mubarak supporters warm embrace of them was highly symbolic. Some accuse the president of rent-a-mob actions to mobilize supporters.
Showdown in Cairo: Things started out gradually on Tuesday. This picture from Tuesday morning shows a modest crowd, but by afternoon Tahrir Square had gotten far more crowded.
Some protesters camped over night to ensure they could be present at Tahrir Square for Tuesday's demo.
The news in Egypt also dominated the headlines of newspapers in other Arab countries. Here, a paper can be seen for sale at a newsstand in Iraq.
Young men dominated the protests, hoping to make their voices heard. Here, Egyptians hold a shoe and a banner reading in Arabic: "Let the night darkness go away."
Beleaguered President Mubarak was also able to mobilize supporters in central parts of the city. Here, a man holds a poster from the 2005 presidential elections that reads, "Your vote to Mubarak."
A man gives out water to protesters making their way to Tahrir Square.
As has also been seen in previous days, the military posted tanks and military vehicles near Tahrir Square on Tuesday. But on Monday, the military said it would not fire on protesters or use force against them on Tuesday and that they had "legitimate grievances."
Here, regime opponents have hung an effigy depicting Mubarak from a traffic light. Egyptian authorities battled to save Mubarak's regime with a series of concessions and promises to protesters, but realities on the streets of Cairo may be outrunning his capacity for change.
As more and more protesters gathered in central Cairo, tourists at the city's international airport, including these British tourists, waited for flights to leave the country. Tents have been erected in the airport parking lot to aid foreign nationals as they leave the country.
The army set up checkpoints at Tahrir Square that protesters must first pass through.
Throughout the day, the number of protesters grew. They had to show their identity cards at the checkpoints.
By midday, around 200,000 Egyptians had flowed into Tahrir Square for the march. Later in the day, however, Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera estimated the figure had swollen to 2 million people.
The protesters repeated their mantra that Mubarak should step down.
An Egyptian man writes "freedom" on the face of another during the march in Cairo.
Because the protests have remained largely peaceful, the military has said it would not deploy force.
A veiled woman holds a poster calling for Hosni Mubarak to go.
Protesters stand on a burned-out car on Tahrir Square.
Another effigy of Mubarak hangs from a lamp post.
Here, a US citizen joins the protests with an Egyptian flag in one hand and a "Hi Mom" sign in the other.
On Tuesday afternoon, German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the Egyptian army for not intervening. "It was an important signal that the army said it is the people's right to demonstrate," Merkel said during a visit to Tel Aviv. "Nevertheless, there is still a related uncertainty over how the political process in Egypt will continue. We can only hope that it will all proceed peacefully."
An Egyptian man holds up a sign with a play on Mubarak and the French cheese brand "La Vache qui rit," the laughing cow. "Moo Barak," it reads.
An Egyptian man waves his national flag after climbing on top of a lion sculpture in the capital.
During prayer times, the protesters simply sit down -- either on their bare knees or, in some cases, with Egyptian flags.
Here, a row of protesters hold a sign and the Egyptian flag. Hundreds of thousands and possibly as many as 2 million gathered in the city center on Tuesday -- students, doctors, judges, jobless, old, young and even handicapped people in wheelchairs. It was a rich tapestry from all walks of Egyptian life.
"The people demand removal of the regime," reads a banner held high on Tahrir Square. A soldier atop a tank can be seen gesturing to the crowd. So far, the army, as promised, has not used any force.
Egyptian opposition politician Ayman Nour is circled by protesters as he gives a speech on Tahrir Square.
Throughout the day, regime opponents shouted their protests on the square.
Soldiers were present throughout Tuesday's mass protest, but they held back and no major incidents were reported. In Egypt, the military still relies on conscription and many families have a relationship to it, so it enjoys tremendous respect.
As the sun went down on Tuesday afternoon, Tahrir Square remained packed with people.
Here, a protester atop a lamp post waves the Egyptian flag as Day 8 of the protests in Egypt slowly drew to a close.
