Main Page22 dead in Egypt football violence
Cairo -Twenty-two people died as thousands of fans
tried to force their way into a Cairo football stadium
on Sunday to watch a game, triggering panic as
police fired tear gas and birdshot at the crowds.
Witnesses and medical reports suggested many of
the victims were crushed in a stampede, with some
suffering broken necks. At least 25 other people
were injured, the health ministry said.
The match continued despite the violence, provoking
further outrage among the fans.
The clashes prompted the government to postpone
the Egyptian Premier League indefinitely, the prime
minister's office said in a statement.
The match between Zamalek and Enbi had been
open to the public, unlike most other games
between Egyptian clubs since stadium riots in Port
Said in 2012 left more than 70 people dead in the
country's worst ever sport disaster.
The interior ministry had restricted to 10 000 the
number of spectators allowed into the stadium on
Sunday, and tickets quickly ran out.
Thousands of fans without tickets scaled the stadium
walls before police dispersed them, according to the
ministry.
Zamalek supporters aimed fireworks at the police,
who fired tear gas and birdshot back, police and
witnesses said.
"There was a police car on fire and they were
shooting birdshot and tear gas," a witness told AFP.
Another witness, Mostafa Ibrahim, told AFP: "Police
fired tear gas at a large number of fans in a very
narrow place. People were trampling over one
another trying to escape."
Stampede
After a preliminary exam, 19 of the dead were found
to have no gunshot wounds, according to a health
ministry official. Injuries were consistent with being
crushed in a stampede, and some of the dead had
broken necks.
An AFP correspondent outside the morgue saw
coroner reports handed out saying two of those
killed died of "extreme pressure to the chest".
Many of those injured suffered broken bones and
bruising, the health ministry said according to state
news agency Mena.
Zamalek defence player Omar Gaber has been
suspended for refusing to play in the match in
protest at the violence, a statement from his club
said.
League suspended
The government accused the football fans of starting
the clashes with police, leading to the deaths.
"Because of these sad events it has been decided to
postpone the league to a time that will be decided
later," it said in a statement.
Outside a Cairo morgue where the bodies were
taken, dozens of relatives wept and wailed while
others pored over a list of the dead, trying to identify
loved ones.
Also read: Egypt sentences 230 anti-Mubarak
activists to life
"The youths are supposed to be building this country
and the police are killing them," one man shouted.
Others scuffled with morgue security men who were
blocking their access.
Morgue officials later placed a computer outside
showing pictures of the dead men for relatives to
identify.
Investigation
The state prosecutor ordered an investigation into
the clashes, a statement from his office said.
The statement said the fans had blocked a road
leading to the stadium and torched three police
vehicles.
Sunday's deaths could inflame football fans, who
have repeatedly clashed with police over the past
few years and can mobilise thousands of youths.
After the deadly 2012 football riots in Port Said
following a game between Cairo's Al-Ahly and Al-
Masry, a court handed out death sentences to 21
people before an appeals court ordered a retrial that
is yet to conclude.
The riots took place under a military regime that had
taken charge after a popular uprising, in which
football fans played a key role, ousted veteran
strongman Hosni Mubarak.
The fans have continued to be a volatile force in the
troubled country.
Hundreds of Cairo Al-Ahly fans confronted police in
deadly clashes in the capital following the Port Said
riots.
tried to force their way into a Cairo football stadium
on Sunday to watch a game, triggering panic as
police fired tear gas and birdshot at the crowds.
Witnesses and medical reports suggested many of
the victims were crushed in a stampede, with some
suffering broken necks. At least 25 other people
were injured, the health ministry said.
The match continued despite the violence, provoking
further outrage among the fans.
The clashes prompted the government to postpone
the Egyptian Premier League indefinitely, the prime
minister's office said in a statement.
The match between Zamalek and Enbi had been
open to the public, unlike most other games
between Egyptian clubs since stadium riots in Port
Said in 2012 left more than 70 people dead in the
country's worst ever sport disaster.
The interior ministry had restricted to 10 000 the
number of spectators allowed into the stadium on
Sunday, and tickets quickly ran out.
Thousands of fans without tickets scaled the stadium
walls before police dispersed them, according to the
ministry.
Zamalek supporters aimed fireworks at the police,
who fired tear gas and birdshot back, police and
witnesses said.
"There was a police car on fire and they were
shooting birdshot and tear gas," a witness told AFP.
Another witness, Mostafa Ibrahim, told AFP: "Police
fired tear gas at a large number of fans in a very
narrow place. People were trampling over one
another trying to escape."
Stampede
After a preliminary exam, 19 of the dead were found
to have no gunshot wounds, according to a health
ministry official. Injuries were consistent with being
crushed in a stampede, and some of the dead had
broken necks.
An AFP correspondent outside the morgue saw
coroner reports handed out saying two of those
killed died of "extreme pressure to the chest".
Many of those injured suffered broken bones and
bruising, the health ministry said according to state
news agency Mena.
Zamalek defence player Omar Gaber has been
suspended for refusing to play in the match in
protest at the violence, a statement from his club
said.
League suspended
The government accused the football fans of starting
the clashes with police, leading to the deaths.
"Because of these sad events it has been decided to
postpone the league to a time that will be decided
later," it said in a statement.
Outside a Cairo morgue where the bodies were
taken, dozens of relatives wept and wailed while
others pored over a list of the dead, trying to identify
loved ones.
Also read: Egypt sentences 230 anti-Mubarak
activists to life
"The youths are supposed to be building this country
and the police are killing them," one man shouted.
Others scuffled with morgue security men who were
blocking their access.
Morgue officials later placed a computer outside
showing pictures of the dead men for relatives to
identify.
Investigation
The state prosecutor ordered an investigation into
the clashes, a statement from his office said.
The statement said the fans had blocked a road
leading to the stadium and torched three police
vehicles.
Sunday's deaths could inflame football fans, who
have repeatedly clashed with police over the past
few years and can mobilise thousands of youths.
After the deadly 2012 football riots in Port Said
following a game between Cairo's Al-Ahly and Al-
Masry, a court handed out death sentences to 21
people before an appeals court ordered a retrial that
is yet to conclude.
The riots took place under a military regime that had
taken charge after a popular uprising, in which
football fans played a key role, ousted veteran
strongman Hosni Mubarak.
The fans have continued to be a volatile force in the
troubled country.
Hundreds of Cairo Al-Ahly fans confronted police in
deadly clashes in the capital following the Port Said
riots.
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