Soccer Violence in Egypt Kills 74

Soccer Violence in Egypt Kills 74

At least one thousand people were injured and seventy-four people killed in Egypt when fans of opposing teams invaded the field and quarrelled after a heated soccer match in the Mediterranean city of Port Said on Wednesday even though the local team al-Masry beat the visiting team from Cairo, Al Ahli, which is Egypt's most successful soccer team.

The invasion of the soccer field caused the crowd to panic as rival fans quarrelled. Most of those who died were among the people who were trampled in the stampede or who fell down or were thrown from terraces, witnesses said.

Television segment footage depicted some security personnel in the sports ground showing no sign of trying to stop the pitch invasion. One security officer was even filmed talking on his mobile phone as people invaded the soccer field.

Distressed politicians and supporters criticized the lack of security at the soccer match and blamed the military officials for not preventing or “even causing,” the tragic incident.

Thousands of Egyptians chanted slogans against the military at the train station in Cairo where they met injured supporters returning from the soccer incident.

Eventually, hundreds of enraged protesters gathered outside the state television building and were planning to march across the capital to show their anger and frustration on the matter.

The minister said that this is Egypt's worst disaster in the history of soccer.

Posted by James Fried on Friday February 03 2012, 4:52 AM EST. Ref: CNN. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0