An Egyptian security officer and two protesters died in a nationwide demonstration held Tuesday against President Hosni Mubarak and the government.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki confirmed the police officer died after being beaten by protesters in the violence erupted in the demonstration in downtown Cairo.

There were also four security officers and 36 soldiers wounded in the demonstration, according to a local news website.

The two protesters died in the eastern port city of Suez in clashes between protesters and police, local TV reported.

Tens of thousands of Egyptian protesters launched an unprecedented demonstration on Tuesday against corruption, poverty, unemployment and other social grievance and called for the ouster of President Mubarak.

Major streets in downtown Cairo saw a heavy presence of police and security forces on Tuesday, the holiday for the country's National Police Day.

Tens of thousands of Egyptian protesters launched an unprecedented demonstration on Tuesday?and called for the ouster of President Mubarak.