Home
  
Egypt soccer fans clash, 74 dead
Calcutta News.Net
Thursday 2nd February, 2012
CAIRO - At least 74 people, mostly spectators, were killed and around 1,000 injured when fans invaded the ground and rioted at the end of a top-flight match in the city of Port Said in Egypt.
Egypt's military council has declared three days of national mourning after Wednesday night's fighting, which is being described as one of the worst sporting disasters in the country's history.
A committee is to also investigate the circumstances surrounding the fighting between fans of Egypt's top-tier clubs al-Masry and al-Ahly.
As soon as the final whistle went off, hundreds of fans of al-Masry, a team based in Port Said at the northern end of the Suez Canal, rushed into the ground celebrating the team's home win - 3-1 - over al-Ahly, a Cairo-based club that is Egypt's biggest and most successful.
According to reports, al-Masry fans chased al-Ahly players into their dressing room tunnel, while others threw stones and let off fireworks at the visiting supporters.
One of al-Ahly's players, Mohamed Aboutreika, rang the team's TV channel to describe the violence.
"This is not football. This is a war and people are dying in front of us. There is no security and no ambulances," he said. "I call for the Premier League to be cancelled. This is horrible situation"
Mohamed Sultan, head of the ambulance association in Port Said, said that fans from both sides attacked each other with rocks and chairs.
Port Said is about 125 miles (200 km) northeast of Cairo.
At least 74 people had died, Egypt's health ministry said in a statement and 1,000 people were injured, 150 of them critically. Most of the injured had concussions and deep cuts.
Mamdouh Eid, executive manager of the al-Ahly fans committee, blamed the authorities for not acting fast enough.
"The police stood there watching, and the ambulances arrived late. I carried several dead fans in my arms," Eid said, according to CNN.
When the clashes broke out, about 22,000 people were inside the stadium, which can hold up to 25,000 people. About 2,000 Al-Ahly fans were at the game, said an official.
"There were organized groups in the crowds that purposely provoked the police all through the match and escalated the violence and stormed onto the field after the final whistle," said Gen. Marwan Mustapha of Egypt's interior ministry. "Our policemen tried to contain them, but not engage."
The Muslim Brotherhood has condemned the violence and said authorities failed to protect citizens.
One of Muslim Brotherhood's best-known figures, Essam el-Erian claimed the former military dictatorship was behind the violence.
"The events in Port Said are planned and are a message from the remnants of the former regime," el-Erian, now vice-president of the Brotherhood-backed Freedom and Justice Party and an MP, said.
Meanwhile, angry fans blocked Tahrir Square. Others began marching in protest at the mishandling of the riots by police.
The cabinet and parliament are holding an emergency meeting, while Port Said's governor has resigned.
Egypt's public prosecutor has ordered the questioning of 52 people arrested after the riots, as well as the Port Said governor and the city's security chief, who was sacked earlier.
Sepp Blatter, president of the sport's international governing body, FIFA, said he was "very shocked and saddened" by the events.
"This is a black day for football. Such a catastrophic situation is unimaginable and should not happen," Blatter said in a statement.
It is the biggest disaster in the country's football history, said Egyptian deputy health minister Hesham Sheiha.
Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling army council, said: "This will not bring Egypt down... These incidents happen anywhere in the world. We will not let those behind it go," he said, according to Associated Press.
Meanwhile, following the violence in Port Said, another football match in Cairo between Al-Ismailia and Zamalek was cancelled as a mark of respect.
All Egyptian premier-league matches have been postponed indefinitely.
Have your say on this story
|
|
