With much of the country in revolt and the ruling National Democratic Party’s Cairo headquarters a smoldering ruin after it was set on fire on Friday, several thousand people returned to the city’s iconic Liberation Square on Saturday to press Mubarak to step down. The announcement of a new government did not satisfy the protesters who remained on the city’s streets till late at night.

Mobile phone services were partially restored on Saturday; Vodafone’s services became operational after being stopped for 24 hours. The Internet, Blackberries and text messaging services all remained not working.

The Saudi Embassy also organized an evacuation of Saudi nationals. A plane was scheduled to reach JW Marriot Hotel near the Ring Road on Saturday night. Saudis would also be ferried there by buses provided by the embassy.

Haneen Zuhairy, a 28-year-old mother of two, was contacted by the embassy which provided information about when the flight would be taking off and what to do in case of an emergency.

She described the situation as chaotic and beyond repair. “Protesters have been out in the streets for days and they are hungry and some are robbing shops and houses. Hotels in the center of the city were robbed and put on fire. Thieves took beds and furniture and shot people in the reception. Prisoners escaped from prison and they are out in the streets because the police are not doing anything,” she said.

Zuhairy lives in Dream Land, far from the center of the city. However, thieves walked into the gated compound, killed guards and robbed homes. “The Saudi Embassy contacted us about the flight location and time. They also told us that we can go stay at any hotel for free and if we can’t make it to the flight at JW Marriot then we have to go to the airport and take a Saudia flight,” she added.

She also explained how the situation in Dream Land was stable until Hosni Mubarak announced the end of the old government on Friday. “The situation is much worse than what you see on television. The police are killing people randomly and opening fire on protesters. The number of dead is much more than announced on television. All the Egyptians around me said there is a funeral going on in one of the protesting areas at least every couple of hours,” she said.

“I’m on my way to JW Marriot with my kids and around 10 other friends and family. Hopefully, we can make it to Jeddah safe,” she said.

Another two Saudi students in Cairo said that they are hiding in a flat around the Al-Mohandseen area. They said the situation is scary and bad. Ahmed Taib, a 23-year-old student, said the city is in chaos. “We are hearing gunshots every second. The police are not only using rubber bullets or tear gas, they are using live ammunition,” he said.

Taid also received telephone calls from the Saudi Embassy urging him to leave the country. “We will try to leave tonight on the JW Marriot flight but priority is for families so we might leave tomorrow,” he added.

Samar, who went to Egypt a few days ago to visit her best friend, said she has not ventured outside since arriving. “I arrived on the day the trouble started. I came here to see my best friend who is Saudi but lives in Cairo with her family. I couldn’t leave the house and now we are trying to leave on tonight’s flight,” she said.

Samar said the situation is horrible and that people are going crazy on the streets. “We just want to go back home safe,” she added.

According to reports, Cairo’s airport is also in chaos.