And it is one of those sad nights.
At least 14 At least 30 people have been killed this afternoon in Cairo outside the Air Forces stadium in clashes with security forces , the worst football-related incident Egypt has seen since the awful massacre of
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| Blood on the White Jersey of Zamalek "By Adel Eissa" |
Port Said stadium in 2012.Now this massacre is being labeled as “The Air forces stadium” massacre. Yes it took place at an army-owned stadium. Now at 12:17 AM the death toll has increased in to 30 :((
Of course there are sides of the story. The official story as adopted by the ministry of interior and the government claims that the clashes occurred after the attempt of Ultras White Knights “Zamalek Sports Club fans” tried to storm the stadium and watch the game without paying tickets by forces. According to the ministry of interior the security forces used tear gases and birdshots to disperse the mob.
The unofficial Ultras White Knights’ version says that the fans went to see the match waiting for their turn in to get in through a very tiny metal gate when they were teargases and so a stampede happened followed by chaos and security forces attacking the fans.
Of course there are sides of the story. The official story as adopted by the ministry of interior and the government claims that the clashes occurred after the attempt of Ultras White Knights “Zamalek Sports Club fans” tried to storm the stadium and watch the game without paying tickets by forces. According to the ministry of interior the security forces used tear gases and birdshots to disperse the mob.
The unofficial Ultras White Knights’ version says that the fans went to see the match waiting for their turn in to get in through a very tiny metal gate when they were teargases and so a stampede happened followed by chaos and security forces attacking the fans.
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| The gate |
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| At the gate of the stadium before the clashes by Adel Eissa |
Here is a video filmed from the security forces’ side showing them dispersed the fans outside that gate.
The moment the security forces attacked the UWK Fans
Only 10,000 fans were allowed to attend the game tonight with 5,000 tickets up to sale to the fans and 5,000 invitations but on Thursday Mortada Mansour, the foulmouthed controversial lawyer and Zamalek club chairman decided to turn the 5000 tickets to be invitations.
Regarding the death toll I am saying at least 14 because this is the official number released by the ministry of health but there are other sources speaking about bigger number. The Ultras White Knights Official page announced at 9:52 Cairo local time photos for two lists with 22 names killed in the clashes. The official cause of death is suffocation and stampede after being tear-gassed.
Regarding the death toll I am saying at least 14 because this is the official number released by the ministry of health but there are other sources speaking about bigger number. The Ultras White Knights Official page announced at 9:52 Cairo local time photos for two lists with 22 names killed in the clashes. The official cause of death is suffocation and stampede after being tear-gassed.
Most of the victims were 17 and 19 years old boys. People are asking about their boys for God’s sake on twitter and Facebook.
On the other hand human rights activists who hurried to Zenhim Morgue speak about bigger final death tolls because it seems that some of the victims were transferred directly to the morgue. Some of the victims were transferred to the National Bank Hospital. There are at least 25 injured by the way.
Strangely and amazingly the game went on despite those inside including the footballers of Zamalek Sports Club knew that that people were killed outside.
Only one footballer stopped playing in the game : Omar Gaber.
On the other inside the stadium the fans specially those seated in the 3rd degree “The famous place for Ultras Fans” gave their back to the players chanting against the government , police and their own team. Among the clashes they were chanting “ A dirty government you sons of bitches, Withdraw from the game you fagots, Withdrawal is honor , Either we die or restore back their rights”.
This video from inside the stadium during the game.
On the other hand human rights activists who hurried to Zenhim Morgue speak about bigger final death tolls because it seems that some of the victims were transferred directly to the morgue. Some of the victims were transferred to the National Bank Hospital. There are at least 25 injured by the way.
Strangely and amazingly the game went on despite those inside including the footballers of Zamalek Sports Club knew that that people were killed outside.
Only one footballer stopped playing in the game : Omar Gaber.
On the other inside the stadium the fans specially those seated in the 3rd degree “The famous place for Ultras Fans” gave their back to the players chanting against the government , police and their own team. Among the clashes they were chanting “ A dirty government you sons of bitches, Withdraw from the game you fagots, Withdrawal is honor , Either we die or restore back their rights”.
This video from inside the stadium during the game.
"في الجنة يا شهيد" pic.twitter.com/QSkaq8IaGb
— Salem Sayed (@salemsayed) February 8, 2015
People who watched the game on TV channels say the voice of the fans were muted when they started to curse the government. The boys are angry , the football fans are angry , the Ultras hardcore fans are furious.
Here is a storify slideshow documenting what happened.
Here is a storify slideshow documenting what happened.
On Egyptian TV channels , the Pro-TV hosts are on fire accusing the Ultras fans of dragging the security forces in to a fight and attempting to spoil the reception of Putin tomorrow. Oh yes Putin is coming and it seems that he will receive some legendary reception. Not so surprisingly the chairman of Zamalek Sports Club , the Pro-regime and foulmouthed lawyer Mortada Mansour is doing rounds on TV channels accusing the Ultras White Knights as usual
His son Ahmed Mortada Mansour , the club’s member of the board of directors defended the police forces at first publishing a Facebook page status telling the fans not to be thugs and that they have to buy a ticket first.
His son Ahmed Mortada Mansour , the club’s member of the board of directors defended the police forces at first publishing a Facebook page status telling the fans not to be thugs and that they have to buy a ticket first.
You do not understand anything. You are not allowed to get in by force. No one will be allowed to attend the match without tickets. Football is only for respectable fans. No thugs are allowed here.
That status was published on his twitter account. Now he removed the status but it there are screenshots and I have seen it by own eyes hours earlier.
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Now The son of minister of youth “Yeah minister of youth” says that those young men were thugs and should bear the consequences of their actions on his Facebook account.
It is a déjà vu in the media to be honest. It is like we are watching a mini-version of what happened in Port Said from three years ago.
Last news from the Prosecutor General’s office : An arrest warrant for the leading figures in Ultras White Knights who started the clashes with the security forces.
The Prosecutor General has finished his investigation as it seems very quickly to reach for that conclusion.
I will not be surprised to find the government designating Ultras groups as terrorist groups.
Ultras White Knights and Ultras Ahlaway are now united by anger and desire for vengeance
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Now The son of minister of youth “Yeah minister of youth” says that those young men were thugs and should bear the consequences of their actions on his Facebook account.
It is a déjà vu in the media to be honest. It is like we are watching a mini-version of what happened in Port Said from three years ago.
Last news from the Prosecutor General’s office : An arrest warrant for the leading figures in Ultras White Knights who started the clashes with the security forces.
The Prosecutor General has finished his investigation as it seems very quickly to reach for that conclusion.
I will not be surprised to find the government designating Ultras groups as terrorist groups.
Ultras White Knights and Ultras Ahlaway are now united by anger and desire for vengeance
Unlimited impunity leads to rationalization of violence, whether state directed or from non-state sources. Tolerating, condone, and defending state terrorism destroys "stability," law, order, and the like. There will never be safety or stability without accountability, the rule of law, liberty, and human rights. A gangster state is not a stable state. The new massacre of Ultras is another crime that will stain the conscience of those who provided either intellectual or physical ammunition for it.
ReplyDeleteAnd, obviously, Putin is a sponsor of terrorism. He quite clearly has facilitated terrorist attacks against Ukrainian targets and was key reason why the MH17 flight was brought down. Anti-aircraft weapons supplied by the Russian military were responsible for that war crime.
If Sisi wants to be a fool and pretend that there is nothing wrong with the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine, then screw him. He already is a vile mass murderer and state terrorist who has shed enormous amounts of Egyptian blood. There is no excuse for his deeds. The existence of the Brotherhood is not an excuse. There is no anti-government movement which can be cited as an excuse for his acts or as a means of providing undeserved expiation. The existence of the IS does not justify Sisi, nor does the existence of Sisi/regional dictators justify the IS.
The "war on terrorism" is largely a fraud. It is not succeeding in stopping the manifold forms and sources of terrorism. Refraining from being a terrorist is a prerequisite for harboring any hope of success in suppressing terrorism.
Some racists who support this massacre will try to hide their prejudice by citing religion, somehow claiming that the Ultras should die because of some fantasy nebulous religious unworthiness. However, this hypocritical "logic" mysteriously fails to associate religion with the MOI/police assailants. If the state's victims are invariably portrayed as religious fanatics, it should not be viewed as strange if the state's zealots are in turn dubbed Wahhabists or other types of fanatics. In any event, attributing religion to every single event within some countries (essentializing) is nonsensical and simply a new way to try blur the line between ethnic superiority complexes and authentic anti-religion.