Cairo, Sept. 22 -- Rare anti-government protests broke out in several Egyptian cities late Friday calling on President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to step down. The small street demonstrations were quickly dispersed by riot police using batons and tear gas.

Dozens of people were arrested, including at least two journalists, according to the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights. No casualties were reported.

El-Sissi is a former army general who's overseen an unprecedented political crackdown, silencing critics and jailing thousands.

As defense minister, he led the military's overthrow of an elected but divisive Islamist president in 2013, amid mass protests against that president's brief rule.

A subsequent sit-in by Islamists was b...