CAIRO: Clashes erupted between al-Ahly football club fans and police following a match on Tuesday in Cairo that left at least 74 people injured including 50 policemen, officials from the ministry of health said. Police have arrested 12 fans following the violence. The clashes erupted following a football game between al-Ahly and Kima Aswan at Cairo's stadium when riot police, who were securing the game attacked crowds of fans for alleged “provocative shouts.” The ministry of interior said 14 police cars were attacked and some burned, including two police motorcycles in addition to a number of civilian-owned vehicles. The ministry said in a statement that the soldiers were provoked to attack after the fans “insulted” them and broke stadium chairs and threw them at the soldiers in addition to throwing fire crackers. An eyewitness said riot police chased the Ahly fans out of the stadium and fans were beaten by sticks while the fans allegedly threw water at the soldiers in an attempt to end the violence. Fans allegedly broke the gates on their way out and cut off traffic on the Salah Salem thoroughfare in Cairo, but were shortly after dispersed. Al-Ahly club's website says one man has died after he was run over by a car, but no officials have confirmed the death. One eyewitness report said that police attacked after the fans had been chanting anti-Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's ousted President currently on trial for killing protesters, and anti-Habib al-Adly, the former minister of interior, slurs and described the attacks as “vicious.” Football violence is nothing new in Egypt, although in the past it was largely between fans and not initiated by the police. In late 2009, after Algeria defeated Egypt to advance to the World Cup, angry Egyptian fans took to the streets around the Algerian embassy, setting fire to nearby stores and cars. BM
