BBC News with Gaenor Howells

Thousands of Egyptian protesters are maintaining a defiant presence in Tahrir Square in Cairo despite an earlier violent attempt by the security forces to evict them. Reports say at least seven people were killed. There were scenes of complete panic when hundreds of soldiers and police beat protesters on their heads. Hugh Sykes is close to Tahrir Square.

I can see Tahrir Square and the protesters there although not in such large numbers as they were earlier in the day. And indeed with their extremely violent charge with batons and tear gas, the armed forces here did drive most of the protesters out of the square for a while. And I was down between where I am now and the square - about 300 metres from Tahrir Square - a few hours ago, and the street - the main, one of the main Cairo's shopping streets - absolutely filled with thousands of protesters who were running away from the tear gas. But it now seems that a lot of them have poured back into the square.