As the man was dragged kicking and screaming to one of Tahrir Square’s makeshift prisons, cries of “kill him!” filled the air.
Some anti-government protesters tried to protect the man, who was taken underground to be kept in Sadat Station.
His captors said he was a policeman--one of at least 120 suspected security officials and criminals captured by demonstrators as of this afternoon.
According to Ahmed Naguib, who has been coordinating the media on behalf of the protesters, most of them were handed over to the military after being kept in temporary jails. He said: “We caught people on death row, people who have escaped from prison as well as thugs and policeman.”
Throughout last night, mobs of demonstrators could be seen dragging suspected criminals or police through Tahrir Square to the Sadat Station prison. Occasionally the suspects would be beaten, but some demonstrators tried to protect their captives.
Naguib said: “It’s extremely hard to protect them if they are dragged through the square. People here have been shot at and are very angry.”
Many suspect that plainclothes police have been behind much of the violence since pro-Mubarak factions swept through Tahrir Square yesterday.
Near the square’s Al-Tahrir Street entrance, a small collection of police and security officials’ confiscated IDs were on display. There was also a collection of weapons reportedly seized from the captives, including petrol bombs, a knuckle-duster and a 2ft-long sword.
According to Naguib, one of the people being held today included a major in the state security apparatus. He said activists were unwilling to release him because he was considered such a danger.
Ahmed Wahba, a 41-year-old demonstrator who saw some of the prisoners being caught, said: “The Mubarak regime is stupid. Look how peaceful everyone is being here. They are asking for basic human rights, equality and social justice, but Mubarak is trying to organize violence.”
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