Since the early morning hours, clashes have been sporadically erupting between pro-Mubarak supporters and protesters in front of the Police Academy in New Cairo, where the historic trial of the ousted president is underway. Our Ahram Online reporter, who has been standing in front of Gate 8 of the academy, told us that about 500 pro-Mubarak supporters and another 500 anti-Mubarak protesters, many of them families of martyrs and revolutionaries, have been involved in skirmishes and fights since 7am. Every time a big projector stationed in front of the gate screens images of trial proceedings inside of the court, fights erupt between the two camps. The hostility has featured throwing stones, glass bottles and the exchange of verbal insults, our reporter confirmed. The pro-Mubarak camp has been chanting, “The people demand the end of Tahrir,” in reference to repeated protests and sit-ins by revolutionaries in the birthplace of the Egyptian revolution. They have also directed their vengeance towards the protesters accusing them of being traitors. On the other hand, anti-Mubarak camp has been screaming back “the people demand the execution of the serial killer." Hundreds of State Security Forces stationed in front of the academy have used force in an attempt to stop violence between the hysterical crowds. Pro-Mubarak supporters have threatened to beat a foreign camera operator with an electric baton, says our Ahram Online reporter at the scene. The ruling military council stationed army tanks in front of the gate and various ambulance cars are ready to treat the injured. A little while ago, Egyptian Satellite TV station, ON TV, reported that so far at least 53 people have been injured and that authorities have arrested one mubarak supporter and two anti-Mubarak protesters. Mubarak arrived at the Police Academy in Cairo on a helicopter at 9am this morning. A special ambulance quickly whisked the former president toward the building designated for the trial procedures. The ousted president has been residing in Sharm El Sheikh International Hospital since the prosecutor general put him under house arrest last April. This is the first time he's returned to Cairo since stepping down from power on 11 February.
