( CNN ) -- Saturday saw protests across the United States , held to express solidarity with the anti-government demonstrations currently roiling Egypt . Whether on the East Coast or the West Coast , crowds carried banners , flags and signs as they chanted , hoping their support could be felt thousands of miles away in Cairo , Alexandria and other Egyptian cities . In San Francisco , demonstrators gathered at a corner on Market Street and quickly packed the sidewalk , waving Egyptian and American flags . Participants seemed to represent a rainbow of backgrounds and ages . There were elderly couples , teenagers and children with Egypt 's colors painted on their faces . Many Egyptian-Americans were there , enlivening the chants with Arabic phrases . But plenty of people of Latin , Caucasian and Asian descent also turned out to march , support Egyptian demonstrators and demand the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak . Among the call-and-response chants came a reference to recent protests in Tunisia : `` Oh Mubarak , ca n't you see ? Time to join Ben Ali . '' In Seattle , traditional Egyptian melodies were heard among the chants and slogans . One man who led the chorus of old songs was impressed by the Egyptian movement 's use of social media . `` Thanks to new technology and new communications , the people from Facebook and Twitter , we are able to come together and make this happen . All the young people ... they feel like sometimes there is no chance . But you see this and think ... there is a chance . '' There was a small demonstration in Texas outside the Egyptian Consulate building in Houston . It seemed to be a family affair , with small children flashing peace signs as their families waved flags and signs . `` They need everyone to hear them , '' one demonstrator told CNN affiliate KIAH . `` That 's the only way we can get change . It 's not going to come from within , it 's going to come from outside . That 's why we 're out here now . '' Egyptian-Americans gathered in Toledo , Ohio , too . They waved Egyptian flags and carried signs that read `` Defend Democracy '' and `` Defend Human Rights . '' Although only a handful of people braved the cold , nearly every passing car honked in support . On the East Coast , hundreds gathered outside the United Nations in New York . They held up signs that read : `` Mubarak Regime MUST GO , '' `` Egypt 's Struggle Is Our Struggle ! '' and `` Egypt -- We Hear You ! '' Meanwhile , they yelled out in unison , `` Hey ! Hey ! Ho ! Ho ! Mubarak must go ! '' Sharif Sadek , a young Egyptian-American filmmaker in the New York crowd , said the ouster of the Egyptian leader is the only acceptable outcome . He urged U.S. leaders to make this happen . `` The United States can urge Mubarak to step down and leave the country . Go to Switzerland . Go to South Africa . Go to the moon . We do not want President Mubarak , '' Sadek said . In Washington , protesters assembled outside the Egyptian Embassy before heading to the White House . One protester held up a cardboard sign that read : `` Pharaoh ! Let the people go ! '' Sam Abouissa , a protest organizer who said his brothers were arrested in Egypt while protesting , said he walked door-to-door in the capital to solicit support from fellow Egyptians . `` We need freedom . We need freedom on the Internet . Freedom of communications . Freedom of expressing our opinion . Freedom of life . Freedom of choice , '' Abouissa said . `` We have to choose . We have to be free to choose . '' Anti-Mubarak demonstrations were scheduled to take place in locations across the United States on Sunday too . CNN 's Mia Aquino , Ross Levitt and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
NEW : U.N. demonstrations are held in cities large and small . NEW : Many ethnic groups and ages are represented among the demonstrators . one attend a protest outside the Solidarity in Seattle , chanting `` Sam Abouissa must go ''