Ultras Ahlawy, a group of hardcore football fans, marched to Parliament Sunday for a sit-in to protest what they called light penalties imposed by the Egyptian Football Association on Port Said’s Masry club.
The association decided Saturday to ban Masry from participating in two football seasons and prohibited the team from playing at Port Said Stadium for three years.
In February, 74 people were killed after Masry fans stormed the pitch at the end of a match with Egypt’s top club, Ahly.
The Egyptian Football Association also banned Ahly fans from attending four of their team's matches. It suspended Ahly coach Manuel Jose da Silva and Ahly team captain Hossam Ghaly for four matches for their misconduct.
While Ultras Ahlawy did not see the penalties on Masry as harsh enough and called for the team’s relegation, Port Said residents staged massive protests on Friday to denounce the punishments. Protesters clashed with security forces, leading to the death of one protester.
The violence in Port Said outraged the public and members of Parliament, who accused the cabinet of failing to achieve security. Many blamed wilfull security failures, particularly as people were allowed into the stadium carrying weapons, and during the violence the stadium's steel doors were bolted shut — trapping Ahly fans who were then crushed to death — and its lights were turned off.
The chief suspect in the case told investigators earlier this month that he was paid to lead 800 people to attack Ahly fans. In mid-March, the attorney general referred 75 suspects to criminal trial.
News reports on Sunday said Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri agreed to allow Port Said Governor Ahmed Abdallah — who had been dismissed over the violence — to resume work at the request of the MPs from his governorate.
Ganzouri referred the request to the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to make the decision.
