Dozens of Al-Ahly football club fans known as ultras gathered in front of the Police Academy Wednesday for the trial of 75 suspects accused of attacking and killing dozens following a February match in Port Said.
The criminal court scheduled the third trial session for hearing the testimonies of witnesses from numbers 56 to 68 and reviewing footage included in the investigation evidence.
The session was supposed to be held Saturday but was postponed until Wednesday because the suspects were absent and due to insufficient security because of clashes at protests in Abbasseya.
Military and security forces were deployed around the academy Wednesday.
On 1 February, supporters of Port Said’s home club, Masry, and Cairo’s leading team, Ahly, began clashing after Masry fans stormed the pitch following the team’s victory. In the ensuing violence, 74 were killed and hundreds injured in one of the deadliest football-related incidents in history.
Critics have accused security forces of, at best, doing little to prevent the fighting and, at worst, of a conspiracy to incite unrest. A month later, Attorney General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud referred the suspects to criminal court, including nine Port Said police officers and three Masry club executives. Two minors were also referred to juvenile court.
During the most recent session, the court also ruled that the interior minister, head of the National Sports Council, head of Masry club and head of the National Football Association would be included as defendants in the civil lawsuits filed by relatives of those killed and injured in the violence.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
