Hundreds of the members of football supporters groups Ultras Ahlawy and Ultras White Knights marched on the High Court in downtown Cairo on Saturday to demand the release of 25 members arrested last Sunday.
Ultras, as well as protesters supporting the cause, marched from Ahly sports club headquarters in Zamalek.
The 25 defendants were arrested at Cairo International Airport on Sunday evening as they were waiting to receive the Ahly handball club, returning from Morocco.
Security forces claim the group ignited fireworks inside the airport terminal, while the group said in a statement that they were banned from entering the terminal in the first place and security forces were the ones who attacked the group with birdshot, injuring dozens.
Following the incident, 150 group members were arrested, then 100 were released. The remaining 25 were interrogated at 4 am on Monday, meaning lawyers were unable to reach them.
Human rights activist Sanaa Sief told Al-Masry Al-Youm hindering lawyers from clients is against the law.
Out of the 25, two defendants are underage and remain under detention at Nozha Police Station. The other 23 were deported to Wadi al-Natroun prison, over 100 kilometers north of Cairo, while their families were not allowed to visit or send them food or clothing, as Suhair Dawood, mother of one of the defendants, told Egypt Independent.
According to the Ultras Ahlawy, the High Court rally is the first step of escalation to demand the release of its members.
Edited translation from al-Masry al-Youm
