Egyptian Officials Clash with Protesters Near Tahrir Square

Egyptian security officials clashed with about 200 protesters near Cairo’s Tahrir Square, firing tear gas at the crowd hours after more than 200,000 secularists and activists denounced a decree by President Mohamed Mursi affording himself new powers.

Protesters dodged the haze of gas, while a police van rushed toward the demonstrators before stopping suddenly and reversing in a plaza near the U.S. Embassy in the Egyptian capital.

To contact the reporter on this story: Salma El Wardany in Cairo at selwardany@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net