(Photo Public Domain)
East Cairo’s general prosecution office ordered Tuesday the detention of 18 Zamalek SC supporters pending investigations into the violence leading to the killing of approximately 20 supporters.
The deaths occurred as security forces violently dispersed crowding amongst fans at the Air Defence Stadium in Cairo.
State TV announced Sunday that 22 were found dead in the events that preceded the match between Zamalek and ENPPI on Sunday. The hardcore Zamalek fan group, the Ultras White Knights (UWK), said 28 were killed.
However, the latest report from the general prosecution said only 19 were killed in the events, state Al-Ahram newspaper reported.
The prosecution’s figures match those of the forensic medicine authority, which issued an initial report on Tuesday claiming no deaths were caused by live ammunition, birdshots or suffocation from tear gas.
The prosecution also ordered the arrest of a number of the UWK leaders accusing them of inciting the storming of the stadium.
The UWK’s statement responded to the prosecution’s procedures by saying the “truth is clear before the whole world and we know who incited and who killed”.
Larger numbers of fans turned up at the stadium before the match and security forces deployed at the stadium to secure the match were reluctant to allow the fans in, with or without tickets, due to the mass crowding at the gate.
A narrow metal tunnel was put inside the gates in order to reduce the numbers of fans entering at once. Security forces used tear gas and birdshots to disperse the crowding fans in the tunnel, according to videos, pictures and testimonies circulated on social media.
Crowds of fans tried to escape and the stumbling resulted in scores of injuries and deaths.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Interior said: “Large numbers of ticketless fans tried to storm the stadium, which caused security forces to prevent them from damaging the stadium facilities.”
