A presidential spokesman on Saturday deplored the video of the man being beaten, calling it "shocking."

The government assures "that what happened was an individual behaviot and does not represent the ideology of the police force," spokesman Yasser Ali said. He promised an investigation into the incident.

The protests are the latest in the seesaw struggle between Egypt's first democratically elected president and dissidents who say his leadership is a throwback to past dictatorships, particularly the reign of Mubarak, who was toppled two years ago in the popular revolt.

More than just a game

In Egypt, football isn't just a sport. It's an escape from the economic, political and social tumult wracking the country.

The only times traffic virtually disappears from Cairo streets are when residents break their daily fasts during Ramadan and when the city's two main teams -- Al-Ahly and Zamalek -- take the field.

Saturday's matches feature both those Cairo teams -- Al-Alhy against Ghazl El-Mehalla and Zamalek against Al-Ittihad Al-Sakndary.

But while football has both unified and polarized parts of the country, fans now must cheer or lament from afar.