Security forces increased their presence at the Baron Hotel in Heliopolis on Sunday after supporters and opponents of resuming Egyptian Football Association games clashed outside the hotel.
Earlier in the day, two workers associated with the domestic football league marched to the hotel to prevent Nigeria’s Sunshine Stars Club from traveling to a semi-final match of the CAF Champions League with Egypt’s leading team, Ahly. The workers acted in an attempt to force a resumption of domestic football play, which has been almost entirely suspended since a bloody incident at a match in Port Said earlier this year.
The match is due to begin at 7:30 pm Cairo local time. At around 7 pm, the bus supporting the Nigerian team was seen leaving the Baron Hotel for the stadium.
The football association workers clashed with members of Ultra Ahlawy, a group of hardcore fans of Ahly Club. The ultras have held frequent public protests against resuming play in the domestic Egyptian Premier League since 74 Ahly fans were killed in a domestic match in Port Said on 1 February. The ultras demand that a verdict be issued for the 75 people being tried in criminal court over that incident before domestic games resume.
Observers say around 3 million people make a living from the games played in the local league. Only one Egyptian Football Association game has been played this year due to delay from ultra protests.
The Ultras Ahlawy protesting do not oppose the Sunshine-Ahly match, which is regional and thus not associated with the domestic league. The domestic football association workers attempted to obstruct the game in an attempt to draw attention to their own plight, and in doing so drew a reaction from the devoted Ahly supporters.
After the football workers’ demonstration, Ahly ultras went to the Baron Hotel vowing to protect the Sunshine players. They said the match should be played, as it for a regional championship.
The Facebook page for the Ultra Ahlawy had called on members to go to the hotel to enable Sunshine players to travel to the stadium, and reported that police had fired live ammunition into the air at the demonstration.
