Egyptian protesters rally at Tahrir Square against emergency law

Hundreds of protesters rallied at Cairo's Tahrir Square Friday against the decision by Egypt's military rulers to extend the state of emergency in the country in the aftermath of the attack on the Israeli embassy.

The demonstrations that began after the Friday prayers were joined by 33 political parties and movements though the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist parties decided not to be a part.

There has been anger in Egypt on what the people perceive as slow pace of reforms by the ruling Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF) which is overseeing a democratic transition. Moreover, the activists are angry that their demands for bringing to justice the officials of the previous regime have not been met.

Demanding an immediate repeal of the emergency law and an end to the military trial of civilians, prayer leader Imam Gomaa Mohammed said in his Friday sermon that the "application of the emergency law totally contradicts the demands of the revolution".

A mass uprising had in February overthrown the 30 year rule of former president Hosni Mubarak.

The decision to extend the emergency was announced after protesters stormed the Israeli embassy in Cairo early this week and threw away thousands of administrative documents from the building.

While a number of group and movements extended support to the protest, they said they were not responsible for any incidents that will take place outside the Tahrir square.

Around 70,000 pamphlets were printed for distribution in the demonstrations clarifying the dangers of the emergency laws on personal freedoms.

Earlier this week, SCAF said it would enforce emergency law at least until the end of this year, on articles relating to the spreading of misinformation, arms possession and interfering with traffic following the attack on the embassy.