An Egypt soccer riot has caused the deaths of at least 73 people, after a clash following the game turned deadly.
Wednesday's soccer game took place in the Egyptian city of Port Said. The two teams playing, al-Masry and al-Ahly, have a history of extreme rivalry. The incident occurred only seconds after the end of the game, when fans on the losing team flooded the field.
According to Al Jazeera, "A security official said the fans chased the players and cornered their supporters on the field and around the stadium, throwing stones and bottles at them."
"This is not football," Egyptian star Mohamed Abo Treika told the al-Ahly television channel. "This is a war and people are dying in front of us. There is no movement and no security and no ambulances. This is a horrible situation and today can never be forgotten."
Soccer related violence has occurred before in Egypt however this incident has been cited as the worst. "This is unfortunate and deeply saddening. It is the biggest disaster in Egypt's soccer history," Deputy Health Minister Hesham Sheiha told state television.
In live footage, fans can be seen chasing after members of the team.
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According to the Times of India, judicial sources have reported that an investigation is underway. "Egypt's state prosecutors have now ordered an investigation into the pitch invasion and the violence that ensue," the site reported.
Some charge that the violence may have a political association. Reuters reported that The Muslim Brotherhood, the country's largest political force, has accused President Hosni Mubarak of instigating the violence.
"The events in Port Said are planned and are a message from the remnants of the former regime," parliamentarian Essam al-Erian said in a statement on the group's Freedom and Justice Party website.
Egypt's Parliament has plans to hold an emergency session until which time, Egypt's soccer federation has delayed all premier league matches.
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