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Huge crowds have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest against the verdicts on Egypt's ex-President Hosni Mubarak and his co-defendants.
Although Mubarak got life in prison for complicity in the killing of protesters in last year's uprising, the acquittal of key security officials sparked fury.
Egypt's ex-interior Minister Habib al-Adly was also sentenced to life.
But correspondents say a verdict that was meant to bring closure for Egypt is in danger of reopening old wounds.
Protests were also held in Egypt's second city Alexandria, as well as in Suez and Mansoura.
But the biggest demonstration is being held in central Cairo's Tahrir Square, the focus of last year's demonstrations that ultimately toppled Mubarak.
For opponents of the former government, fears are high that the sentences handed down to Mubarak and al-Adly could be overturned on appeal.
The influential Muslim Brotherhood has sought to make political capital out of the situation, alleging that Egypt's unreformed institutions withheld evidence and calling on its members to join protests.
Ahmed Shafiq, one of the two contenders in this month's presidential vote and himself a figure from the Mubarak era, has responded to the outcome of the trial saying that all verdicts "must be accepted" and that the rulings will serve as a "historic lesson" for all future presidents.
The BBC's Yolande Knell at Tahrir Square says crowds are repeatedly chanting "illegitimate", referring to the verdicts handed down on Saturday.
There is particular anger the acquittals of the officials - four high-ranking interior ministry chiefs accused of complicity in the deaths of protesters, as well as two regional security chiefs - are a sign that there has been little reform, our correspondent says.
But, she adds, many others have poured onto the streets out of depression at the current political situation.
Many of Egypt's revolutionaries are bitterly disappointed by the choice they now face - between a Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Mursi and Mubarak's last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq.
The Muslim Brotherhood - the main opposition force under Mubarak's rule - condemned the verdict.
In a press conference Mr Mursi said that if elected he would form a team to re-investigate protesters' killings. Mr Shafiq said that the verdicts "must be accepted",
The 84-year-old former president is the first former leader to be tried in person since the start of the Arab Spring in early 2011.
Announcing the verdicts, the judge then said Mubarak and Adly had failed to stop security forces using deadly force against unarmed demonstrators.
In his preamble, Judge Ahmed Refaat insisted the 10-month trial had been a fair one.
He spoke of the Mubarak era as "30 years of darkness" and praised what he called "the sons of the nation who rose up peacefully for freedom and justice".
Mubarak and his two sons were acquitted on separate charges of corruption. But his sons, Alaa and Gamal, are to remain in detention because they are to go on trial on charges of stock market manipulation.
After the verdict, scuffles erupted in court. Outside the court, the sentencing was initially greeted by celebrations from relatives of those killed, but joy soon turned to anger when news of the acquittals spread.
State television reported that the former leader at first refused to leave the helicopter as he was being transferred to his new prison, and that he then suffered from severe health problems. He has reportedly been admitted to the prison hospital.
Tora prison is where a number of figures from the former government are serving jail sentences for corruption.
Mubarak, who ruled the country from 1981 to 2011, had faced a possible death sentence over the killing of about 850 protesters.
The first leader toppled during the Arab Spring was Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, who was found guilty in absentia of drugs and gun charges in July.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels in October. Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh received immunity from prosecution after handing over power in November.
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