Egypt's Prime Minister to meet with Ahly, Masry officials to ease tensions

Saturday's meeting will include the interior minister, head of the National Sports Council, Egyptian Football Association chairman as well as Ahly and Masry officials

Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzouri will hold a meeting with Ahly and Masry officials on Saturday in a bid to ease growing tensions between both sides following last month's Port Said tragedy.
Ahly's hardcore supporters (Ultras Ahlawy), enraged by what they perceived as the authorities' reluctance to punish the culprits of the disaster, marched to the high court in downtown Cairo on Thursday to demand swift justice.
They were somewhat relieved after 75 people were referred to the criminal court on Thursday, including Port Said's head of security and his three assistants.
However, Masry's diehard supporters have threatened to retaliate, staging a demonstration in Port Said immediately following the decision to put the 75 people on trial.
They also stirred controversy last week when they lifted an Israeli flag, accusing authorities of favouring Ahly in the infamous incident which left at least 74 dead when thousands of Masry fans invaded the pitch following an Egyptian Premier League game on the first of February.
Saturday's meeting will include Ahly chairman Hassan Hamdy and Port Said-based Member of Parliament El-Badry Farghaly, who will be one of the men representing the coastal city after Masry's entire board of directors stepped down.
Farghaly was widely blamed by Ahly fans after implicitly accusing them of inciting the violence.
Interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim, National Sports Council head Emad EL-Bannan and Egyptian Football Association interim chairman Anwar Saleh will also attend the meeting in a bid to mediate in efforts to end tensions.
“This meeting is timely because the situation has become dangerous in the last couple of days,” Farghaly said.
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