Egypt police arrest 21 after soccer riots in Cairo
Police have arrested 21 people in connection with the deadly soccer riots at an Egyptian Premier League match on Sunday, accusing the soccer fans of attacking policemen, damaging patrol cars and terrorizing the public, Sarah El Deeb of the Associated Press reports.
Prosecutor Mohammed Seif told reporters that none of the 21 have been formally charged.
At least 19 people were killed during the riots, marking the deadliest act of soccer-related violence in Egypt since 70 people died in a stampede in 2012. There is conflicting information about how many people have died with prosecutors saying 22 were killed, while the government's health ministry has said 19 died.
Police fired tear gas into a crowd of fans waiting in a fenced-in, narrow corridor and trying to enter the stadium. Several of the deaths were attributed to suffocation after fans were run over during the stampede.
The riots occurred at Air Defense Stadium before a scheduled match between Zamalek and ENPPI. The Egyptian cabinet later suspended the national soccer league late Sunday.
Confusion has persisted regarding how the riots started. Zamalek fans have said on social media that the riots ensued when one small doorway to the stadium was opened, triggering the stampede, the AP previously reported.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry claimed fans were attempting to enter the venue without tickets, Egyptian news organization Ahram reported.
- Mike Fiammetta
