ransa ransacked. police stations in flames, as well. it appears the police force utterly disappeared. that was a police force widely hated for their corruption, their brutality, their torture. so seeing the army arrive on the scene and the police leave was a source of a lot of joy and excitement. >> but ben, we've seen plain clothes policemen, thugs basically beating protestors, taking them away and as you said, you know, it's well known about torture sand other things that have gone on with the security police in egypt. are those plain clothes guys, are they off the streets, as well? >> reporter: it's difficult to say since they're almost indistinguishable from anybody else. the assumption is they may realize that this regime is tottering, and there's not much for them to defend at this