Twitter said it was blocked in Egypt on Tuesday in view of the protests on Cairo streets which sent the social networking site into an instant information platform with messages coming from all corners.

Responding to a call, thousands of people gathered in central Cairo on Tuesday but were dispersed by the police using water cannons. The protests were held against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.

We believe that the open exchange of info & views benefits societies & helps govts better connect w/ their people, Twitter said in a message, or tweet.

Visit IB Times Liveblog on Egypt Protests

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