Hundreds of police in uniform and plainclothes marched in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Monday to show solidarity with protesters who toppled Hosni Mubarak.
Waving Egyptian flags, the police demonstrators shouted "We and the people are one", witnesses said. Policemen said they wanted to "honour the martyrs of the revolution".
The unusual police march followed the removal by military police and soldiers of the last few dozen pro-democracy protesters left in the heart of Tahrir Square, where there had been violent clashes when police tried to disperse the demonstrations that erupted on Jan. 25.
"We are with the people. We ask the people of Egypt not to ostracise us. We are not enemies," Lieutenant Mohammed Mestekawy told Reuters.
"We are in this together and have been mistreated by the same system. Many police officers have died in the revolt along with others," he said.
The army ordered the remaining protesters, who were cordoned off by troops and military police in front of a stage erected during the anti-Mubarak demonstrations, to leave or face arrest.
The widely loathed police were withdrawn from the streets on Jan. 28 after failing to crush protesters with batons, teargas, rubber bullets and live fire. The army stood by during those confrontations, without helping the protesters or the police.
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