Cheering as 21 Egyptian soccer hooligans sentenced to death

EGYPT has descended further into chaos as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest against the country's Islamist government - two years after the start of the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

At least seven people were killed and hundreds injured in the protests about the government's failure to fix the economy and heal the divided country. It was the latest confirmation that the Islamists, who have dominated elections since Mubarak was ousted, have inherited not only his presidential palace but also the blame for Egypt's myriad problems.

The anniversary was marked more by bloodshed than joy as familiar scenes played out amid the widening despair. Gunshots echoed through cities, rock-throwing youths lunged at police through clouds of tear-gas and peaceful demonstrators waved banners and shouted epithets against those in power.

Seven anti-government protesters were killed by unknown gunmen in the port city of Suez, according to state media. Unconfirmed reports from a private television station said nine people had died countrywide and about 400 people, including scores of police officers, were injured.

For months the President, Mohammed Mursi, has been engulfed in anger from secularists, who claim he and his Muslim Brotherhood party have turned increasingly authoritarian in a bid to advance an Islamist state at the expense of social justice.

The protests were the latest reminder of the volatile politics and persistent mistrust that threaten Egypt's transition.

''Mursi is finished,'' an activist Tarik Salama said. ''A lot of people voted for him, but he failed.'' One of the banners raised in Cairo's Tahrir Square read, ''Two years since the revolution, and Egypt still needs another revolution.''

Protest chants that harked back to the 18-day revolt that toppled Mubarak were now directed at Dr Mursi: ''Leave, leave.''

Protesters attacked offices of the Muslim Brotherhood and blocked highways and railways. The Brotherhood ordered followers to stay away from Tahrir Square.

Many of the youths clashing with police in Cairo, Alexandria and other cities were angry about an economy that offers little hope.

They had been joined by football fans, known as Ultras, demanding that senior police be held accountable for the deaths of 74 fans killed last year in a stadium riot.

Families of the 74 cheered when a court found 21 people guilty on Saturday and sentenced them to death. Supporters of the convicted tried to storm a prison in Port Said, killing one police officer, Al Arabiya TV reported.

Verdicts for the remaining 52 defendants will be announced in March. Nine security officials are among those on trial.