The North Cairo Prosecution detained Saturday around 30 members of the Ultras White Knights for 15 days pending investigations, after they clashed with security forces in Shubra, Cairo on Thursday.
One of the group’s leaders confirmed the court decision on Sunday.
The charges against the detainees include breaking the Protest Law, belonging to a group based on opposing the law and the constitution, creating chaos, damaging public and private property, cutting the road, and more.
“The truth is, we took the streets because we cannot be quiet in the face of injustice,” the group wrote on their official Facebook page.
The ultras, supporters of football club Al-Zamalek, organised protests on Thursday to demand the release of their detained colleagues, who had been accused of attempting to assassinate Zamalek Sporting Club President Mortada Mansour.
The alleged assassination attempt against Mansour took place inside the Zamalek club on 17 August. Mansour told local sports website FilGoal that he had to duck from “gunfire” as he was leaving the club, and that two people accompanying him were shot.
“This is unfair, we are [the club’s] loyal fans,” one of the ultras leaders said. “People only hear Mortada Mansour.”
He added that the group will deal with this dispute the “legal way”.
The ultras has questioned the validity of Mansour’s claims on the assassination attempt. They recently released a video and song on Mansour, suggesting he serves the current regime and describing him in offensive terms.
The group also accused police forces of taking the members from their homes and arresting their parents to pressure the children to turn themselves in. Interior ministry spokesperson Hany Abdel Latif said the Giza Security Directorate arrested seven suspects and is in pursuit of others. He denied that security forces arrested parents of suspects.
Security forces accused the arrested members of “attempted murder”.
Disputes between the Ultras White Knights and Mansour have been commonplace. A member within the group previously said that Mansour is “fighting the group” and that group members are currently banned from entering the sporting club.
Additional reporting by Joel Gulhane
