Report: 50,000 protest in Egyptian Rafah

Al-Jazeera network reports tens of thousands join nationwide protests against Egyptian President Mubarak near Gaza border. EU leaders issue statement saying 'transition process must start now'

News Agencies|Last update: 02.04.11 , 18:15

Hundreds gathered Friday afternoon across Egypt in protest of Hosni Mubarak's regime, a week and a half after riots first erupted in the country.

Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network reported Friday that a mass protest was being held near Gaza, on the Egyptian side of Rafah. According to reports, at least 50,000 people have gathered at the border city.

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Mass protests were also reported throughout Egypt, with some 70,000 gathered in Ismailia, 80,000 in the town of Zagazig, and a few thousand protesters in the city of Asyut.

According to Al-Jazeera, the number of protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square has reached over two million people.

Protesters labeled the rally the "day of departure," a reference to their demand Mubarak go on Friday.

No there was almost no sign of Mubarak's supporters, who attacked demonstrators with stones and Molotov cocktails in recent days, and the atmosphere was completely different.

Friday afternoon, European Union leaders called on Egyptian authorities to meet the aspirations of the people with "reform not repression" and said the transfer of power to a broad-based government must begin immediately.

"The European Council is following with utmost concern the deteriorating situation in Egypt," the EU's 27 leaders said in a joint statement issued during a summit in Brussels.

Protesters at 'Day of departure' rally in Tahrir Square (Photo: AFP)

"All parties should show restraint and avoid further violence and begin an orderly transition to a broad-based government. The European Council underlined that this transition process must start now," the statement said.

Later on Friday, Egypt imposed a travel ban on former trade minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid on Friday and froze his assets, the state news agency MENA said.

"The public prosecutor's decision is part of the precautionary measures taken against some officials after prosecutors received complaints of theft of public money," MENA reported.

The prosecutor imposed a travel ban on other ministers from the former government and a former ruling party official on Thursday, the agency said. It also froze their assets.