Egyptian police fire live rounds in air to disperse protesters

Seven demonstrators arrested in protests against military rule in Egypt.

CAIRO: Egyptian police fired live rounds in the air to disperse about 1,000 anti-government protesters in Cairo on Saturday, a Reuters witness said, amid fears of violence on the anniversary of the 2011 revolt that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

The witness said police also fired tear gas and birdshot at a crowd of secular-minded liberal activists attempting to march toward Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest against the military-backed interim government.

The protesters were chanting slogans against the army and the police as they gathered at the Mostafa Mahmoud mosque in the district of Mohandiseen before they were chased away by police.

The square next to the mosque was blocked off by police, who arrested seven demonstrators, security sources said.

Some people tried to hold up posters of the Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, toppled by the army in July, but other protesters stopped them from doing so.

Hisham Sadiq, a university student, said he was protesting against "military rule and the thugs of the Interior Ministry."