AceShowbiz - Egyptian superstar Tamer Hosny had to be saved by soldiers on Wednesday, February 9 after the country's pro-democracy protesters turned on him as he tried to apologize for siding with dictator Hosni Mubarack.

The actor/singer, one of the Arab world's biggest stars, came under fire for criticizing thousands of demonstrators who have taken to the streets of Cairo calling for the resignation of president Mubarak, who has been in power for 30 years.

Last week, Hosny told reporters the crowds should "go home" and allegedly fumed: "You have been quiet for 30 years, now you people do this?" But his comments backfired as he tried to apologize to protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square, when they booed and chanted so loudly he was forced to give up speaking into a microphone.

The baying mob then turned nasty as punches rained down on the star, according to the New York Daily News. The publication reports the army was forced to fire warning shots into the air to ensure Hosny got away from the angry crowd.

He was later caught on video crying about the reaction, saying: "I want to die today. I thought I was saving the people."