1 February: Time does not always reveal the truth

Mahmoud Mostafa
1 Min Read

Four years of endless court sessions, trials, and retrials, 11 death sentences, and bloodshed in reaction to the massacre, and it is yet to be revealed who or what was behind it.

On 1 February, in a football league match between Port Said team, Al-Masry, and their Cairo rivals Al-Ahly, a fight and the ensuing stampede left 72 Al-Ahly fans killed.

The cause of the attack was the hardcore fan group of Al-Ahly, the Ultras Ahlawy. Since its inception, the fan group has clashed repeatedly with the police, having also played a significant role during the protests of the 25 January Revolution in 2011.

The security forces at the match stood by and did nothing as they watched the violent incidents erupting and escalating. It was later revealed that the stadium gates were locked prior the incidents, a sign that Al-Ahly fans considered conclusive evidence of a deliberate attack.

The Ultras Ahlawy, along with other fan groups, had been vocal opponents to the state, specifically as embodied by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) at the time. Many pointed their fingers at SCAF after the incident, but the truth was never uncovered.

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