Cairo ( CNN ) -- He was once a powerful symbol of autocracy in the Arab world , but Wednesday , a frail Hosni Mubarak was wheeled into a Cairo courtroom cage to face trial for allegedly ordering the killing of anti-government protesters . Dressed in a white prison uniform , Mubarak , 83 , was placed in a mesh and iron cage , a standard procedure in Egyptian criminal trials . The former leader , who also faces charges of corruption , peered between the bars , identified himself and denied any culpability . `` All the things that have been said are not true , '' he said . It was a jaw-dropping moment , leaving many incredulous at the sight of the former dictator stripped of his power , the first of the targets of this year 's Arab Spring to face justice . If convicted , Mubarak could be punished with death . Arab media described it as the `` trial of the century . '' People all over the region were glued to televisions and radios for news of the proceedings . It garnered an array of reactions from the Egyptian people as other embattled leaders in the region -- among them Libya 's Moammar Gadhafi , Syria 's Bashar al-Assad and Yemen 's Ali Abdullah Saleh -- watched closely the fate of one of their own . Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali , deposed before Mubarak in January , fled to Saudi Arabia and was tried in absentia . `` Every dictator in the region is watching this in total fear , thinking he could be next , '' said Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy . `` And all the citizens in the region , ordinary people in the Arab or Middle East or North Africa , are thinking 'we wish we could put our tyrants on trial . ' '' Mubarak , his much despised interior minister , Habib El Adly , and six of the latter 's assistants face trial on the same charges . Also facing charges are Mubarak 's sons , Gamal and Alaa . Mubarak will return to court August 15 , when his trial resumes . Legal proceedings will continue Friday when El Adly appears before the judge . Seeing the once Pharoah-like Mubarak reduced to a crippled man in a cage could garner some sympathy for him , said Barak Barfi , a researcher with the New America Foundation . Mubarak arrived in Cairo after a short trip from his hospital in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh aboard a medically equipped military aircraft . A white helicopter took him to the police academy on the outskirts of Cairo where the proceedings were held . Opponents and supporters gathered at dawn to await the trial of the strongman who ruled Egypt for three decades . As the helicopter hovered before landing at the police academy , the crowd went wild . Some darted in its direction and clapped . Mubarak 's trial represents vindication for Egyptians who suffered under his rule and , more recently , those who lost loved ones who protested on the streets for his ouster . Many had awaited eagerly for Mubarak 's moment of humiliation . About 840 people died and more than 6,000 were wounded in the 18 days of uprising that toppled Mubarak , according to Amnesty International . A police officer accused of indiscriminately shooting protesters has been sentenced to death in absentia . `` Thirty years of corruption , at least we can see justice is taking place , '' said a woman outside the police academy who did not want to be named . `` I do n't know how Mubarak sleeps , when he was responsible for 80 million people and he did not do his job . '' But not all were so outwardly against Mubarak . Supporters outside the trial venue waved flags and photos of the ousted leader . They , along with his foes , stood riveted to a big screen set up outside the venue to broadcast the trial . The tension ran high and at one point gunfire erupted as supporters and opponents chased one another , hurling rocks and bottles . Several people were carried away in ambulances . `` How is the army letting this happen ? Where is the unprecedented security they promised ? '' said Nevein Rashed after she ducked behind a van . When the brief clashes subsided , riot police stood watch as dozens of Mubarak supporters chanted . They wore T-shirts that read : `` I am Egyptian , I will not insult my president . '' `` Mubarak is a symbol of Egypt , '' said Entessar Ahmed , 14 , who was outside the police academy . `` If there were 30 years of corruption during his time , then every Egyptian should be sentenced because they let it happen . '' Others welcomed the former leader 's trial , but do n't think anything will come of it . `` I believe that he will not be sent to jail . He will find a way to leave the country in one month , '' said Basma Nasr , 20 . `` I do n't expect any verdict . I came here to watch this historic moment with other people . This has never happened before in Egypt . '' A popular revolt forced Mubarak to step down February 11 , leaving the nation under the control of a military council . He has been hospitalized since suffering heart palpitations in April , but the nation 's health officials declared last month that he is `` fit to stand trial , given a proper transportation arrangement . '' Former Israeli Cabinet minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer told Israeli Radio Wednesday that he had offered Mubarak refuge in the southern Israeli city of Eilat . `` Mubarak is a patriot and therefore turned down the offer , '' Ben Eliezer said . Last week , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Arab-language news network Al-Arabiya that he respects Mubarak and hopes Egypt 's next government maintains its commitment to peace with his country . However , his office said Thursday that Netanyahu has made no offers of asylum to Mubarak . CNN 's Amir Ahmed , Frederik Pleitgen , Faith Karimi , Mohammed Jamjoom , Rima Maktabi and Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report .
NEW : Arab media call it the trial of the century . Hosni Mubarak is the first leader to face trial since the Arab uprisings started this year . Other defendants , including his former interior minister , are also on trial . Mubarak faces charges of corruption and ordering the killing of protesters .