Yemenis gather in capital for prayers, protests

Sana'a, Yemen: Tens of thousands of people gathered in the main square in the capital of Yemen for Friday prayers, which later turned into a mass protest in the press demands for a US-backed president to resign.
Witnesses said the protesters poured into the area near the main gate of the University of Sana'a for the demonstration amid tight security.
Security forces set up cordons in the nearby streets, trying to prevent protesters from converging on the area, which was flash a week of demonstrations demanding that President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in power for 32 years, is retiring.
Imam Muslim who led the prayers on Friday urged the protestors to intensify their demonstrations "until the president left."
"Every Yemeni religiously and obliged to work to overthrow the regime," said Imam Abdullah Fatir in his sermon, adding that Saleh "is the devil, which landed us the Stone Age." Screams from the crowd, "Allah akbar," or "God is great", accompanied by his words.
Participants said tens of thousands attended - perhaps one of the largest gatherings since the protests began earlier this month.
Violent clashes were accompanied by protests a week ago - and after Friday prayers - in Sanaa and the southern city of Aden and Taiz, with several deaths.
Some of the demonstrators in the latest protest tried to break through security lines and move on to other streets, but police fired into the air and forced them to retreat.
"We're going to take you from the presidential palace," said activist Tawakul Kermal collection, addressing Saleh.
In Aden, the security used tear gas and fired bullets into the air to disperse hundreds of protesters in the three blocks from the southern port, and two protesters were injured. Other demonstrators were put in Taiz and Hadramout.
On Wednesday, Saleh said that he ordered his security services to protect the demonstrators to end all conflicts and avoid direct clashes between government supporters and opponents.
Yemen, poor countries with weak central government and the active separation of al-Qaeda, has been swept up in the protests inspired by the successful revolt in Egypt and Tunisia. Saleh has promised to resign after the national elections in 2013, but the demonstrators want it right now.
In recent days, students and other activists had been digging in the area setting up camp in some public places.
Government forces managed to oust the protesters, and thousands more went to the area in support of students, including scholars, writers and artists.