Don’t mess with the Egyptians! If they want Twitter, don’t take it away!

Breaking News of the Day: Despite the Egyptian government’s attempts to block Twitter (live status updates), thousands of protesters, who coordinated their efforts through Facebook and other social networks, took to the streets of Cairo and elsewhere to express their displeasure with President Hosni Mubarak’s leadership and call for an end to his 30 years in power.

From AlJazeera:

The rallies had been promoted online by groups saying they speak for young Egyptians frustrated by the kind of poverty and oppression which triggered the overthrow of Tunisia’s president. Egyptian blogger Hossam El Hamalawy said technology was important in facilitating “the domino effect” needed for demonstrations like this one to progress.

Bolstered by the recent social media-propelled revolt in Tunisia, many Egyptians took to social networks to organize a national “Day of Revolution” on January 25th, co-opting what is formally Police Day. Twitpics and YouTube videos of clashes between demonstrators and riot police have been circulating widely in an effort to maintain momentum.

An official count of arrest or injuries has not yet been released, but many bloodied protesters could be seen in photos, and reports have surfaced of two protesters killed in Suez and a fatally-wounded soldier in Cairo. A report that Mubarak’s son fled to London with his family could not be confirmed.

The protest’s official Facebook page is providing fresh reports on events which continue to unfold at this time. The Twitter hashtag #cairo is also being used to provide streaming updates. Additional social media updates can be found here.

[nyt / rt / boingboing / rrw / photo: afp.]