Police Fire Water Cannon to Disperse Egypt Rallies Black-clad Egyptian police descended on two small anti-government rallies in Cairo on Tuesday and fired water cannons to disperse them, enforcing a controversial new law restricting protests. The heavy hand fueled a backlash among secular activists and liberals who accuse the military-backed government of accelerating down a path even more authoritarian than the Hosni Mubarak era. The scenes of protesters being dragged away and beaten, with dozens arrested, pitted security forces against secular youth activists, in a new front after months of a heavy - and far bloodier - crackdown on Islamists since the army's ouster of President Mohammed Morsi. Criticism came even from supporters of the new military-backed government, who warned that the new law will increase opposition and could push secular activists into a common cause with Islamists. The criticism presents a sharp challenge to the government: It threatens to break the loose coalition of secular and liberal politicians and revolutionary activists who gave key legitimacy to the military's July 3 ouster of Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president. That coalition argued that the military's move, following massive anti-Morsi protests, was necessary for a democratic, secular Egypt, accusing Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood of subverting the hopes for change after Mubarak's fall in 2011. Its factions backed the military and government - or at least remained silent - when security forces in August crushed pro-Morsi protest camps in a brutal crackdown that killed hundreds. Now discontent is growing, particularly among young secular activists who led the anti-Mubarak uprising and are already mistrustful of the military. Many are further angered by the process of amending the Morsi-era constitution, largely done behind closed doors, because it is likely to ensure greater powers for the military and the president. They believe the protest law aims to prevent criticism of the new document, due to be put to a public referendum in January. A day earlier, the powerful military chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said in a speech to officers that political factions should stop pushing unrealistic demands and get in line behind the need to bring security in the country. Manal el-Tibi, a member of the state National Council for Human Rights, said that the interim government is creating "more enemies" and the law will only increase protests. "This has driven a wedge in the alliance" formed against Morsi, she said. This is too much too soon. The government claimed it took on recommendations from the rights council about the law, but el-Tibi said the body had urged authorities not to release it. To protest the crackdown, 10 members suspended their participation in the 50-member, government-appointed panel amending the constitution, saying they would not return until activists jailed Tuesday are freed. One of the day's rallies took place outside the parliament building where the panel was meeting, forcing it to adjourn for the day. "The victim will be the panel and its work, and the ultimately the country," said Diaa Rashwan, the head of the journalist union and a member of the panel. We object to the way the Interior Ministry has treated the protesters.