Protesters in the Egyptian capital on Saturday accused the government of orchestrated the destruction and looting taking place across the country.
"The government let out prisoners to torch cars and stores and blame it on us," one protester told the German Press Agency dpa in Cairo.
Some of the protesters said "government thugs" had set cars alight, robbed ATMs and raided mobile phone shops in the city.
Several fast-food restaurants, including McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Hardees were ransacked, with grafitti on ways declaring: "No American intervention" and "Free Egypt."
Several petrol stations throughout the city have been destroyed, while roads were blocked by burned out cars.
"I want us to live together better and what the president is doing is unacceptable. We are not comfortable with the president - he has to go," said Mohamed Abdel-Razek, a construction worker who spent the night on the city's Tahrir square.
The Egyptian Museum, which houses thousands of ancient artifacts, was being protected by the army. Head of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass said on state television that it was not known if anything was stolen from the museum.
"There needs to be tighter security around the museum and fire trucks on standby. The museum can be set ablaze. This would be a disaster," Hawass warned.
Firefighters were trying to extinguish the blaze at the headquarters of the ruling National Democratic Party.