Screen grab of what is believed to be an army vehicle on a Cairo street on Friday

A convoy of military armoured vehicles drove through a Cairo street as crowds cheered them on Friday night after a day of protests calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak's rule.

Protesters had previously chanted slogans calling for the army to support them, complaining of police violence during clashes on Friday in which security forces fired teargas and rubber bullets.

"Where is the army? Come and see what the police is doing to us. We want the army. We want the army," the protesters in one area of central Cairo shouted, shortly before police fired teargas on them.

Al Jazeera's Ayman Mohyeldin, reporting from Cairo, said protesters reacted positively when a military armoured vehicle showed up.

"The army is a respected establishment in Egypt, and many feel they need their support against what they see as excessive force by the police and security forces," he said.