Thousands have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square in protest against the ruling military council's handling of the transition period following the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak last spring.

Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna live in the famous square, says a wide "cross-section" of the Egyptian political scene, representing more than 20 political parties and political groups, have gathered in Cairo.

Though the protesters have separated into distinct groups, "there is a group for the Salafi movement - the ultraconservatives - an area for the Muslim Brotherhood, and an area for those who see themselves as liberals" our correspondent said "the one point of unity" among the thousands gathered in the Egyptian capital today is that those affiliated with Mubarak and his regime not be allowed to participate in the nation's political future.