Egyptians angry at the deaths of 74 people in soccer violence clashed with security forces yesterday during protests against the army-led government for failing to prevent the deadliest incident since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak.
Security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators near the headquarters of the interior ministry in Cairo, prompting hundreds to flee. “Down down with military rule,” they chanted, many holding aloft pictures of those killed.
State media reported scuffles between the security forces and demonstrators, who included hardcore soccer fans known for confronting the police and who were on the frontlines of protests against the state in the last year.
Earlier, a witness saw a dozen masked youths remove a barbed wire barrier blocking one route to the interior ministry and then throwing stones at riot police standing guard.
The interior ministry said in a statement that security forces were protecting the building after protesters cut the wire barricades and climbed over concrete walls in an attempt to reach the building.
As tear gas canisters flew, witnesses saw unconscious people being ferried away from the area on motorbikes and ambulances.
The incident at the stadium in Port Said on Wednesday night was Egypt’s worst soccer disaster.
Bodies were unloaded from a train at Cairo’s main train station, covered by blankets. At least 1,000 people were injured in the violence when soccer fans invaded the pitch after local team al-Masry beat Cairo-based al-Ahli, the most successful club in Africa.
Hundreds of al-Masry supporters surged across the pitch to the visitors’ end and panicked Ahli fans dashed for the exit.
But the steel doors were bolted shut and dozens were crushed to death in the stampede, witnesses said. “I suddenly heard a commotion and ran to the door to find people getting crushed . . . with their legs stuck in between the iron bars,” said Ahmed Moustafa Ali, an electrician employed at the stadium.
“The doors were locked because the rules stipulate that we don’t let fans leave at the same time,” he said.
The gate lay broken outside the ground on Thursday. Under it lay a pool of blood and shoes were scattered around.
Some parliamentary deputies echoed the suspicion of many Egyptians that the incident was the work of remnants of the Mubarak administration trying to derail reform.