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Egypt Violence: Toll reaches to 30; injured crosses 300

Cairo, Sun, 27 Jan 2013 NI Wire

The death toll in Egypt violence reached to 30 on Saturday which was sparked after an Egyptian Court's decision to award death sentence to 21 persons involved in football match riot last year in which 74 persons were killed.

The number of injured crossed to 300 in port, according to media reports.

The clashes that occurred between the family members of the convicts and security forces outside a prison turned bloodied when relatives and supporters of the convicts tried to storm the prison holding them and attacked police stations following the verdict of the Port Said criminal court.

The prison area was engulfed by clouds of smoke as furious families of the convicts set fire to trees and gardens attached to the prison and nearby police station. Security forces responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Earlier, Xinhua reported that at least 25 people were killed and over 250 injured in Saturday's clashes.

As many as 73 people, including nine top security officials, were arrested after February riots at Port Said stadium last year following a soccer match between Port Said's al-Masry and Cairo's al-Ahly teams.

"The final verdict for the rest of them will be announced March 9," said Sobhy Abdel-Meguid, the presiding judge of Port Said criminal court.

Thousands of Cairo-based soccer fans expressed overwhelming happiness over Saturday's verdict. The fans, who had vowed earlier to retaliate for their killed fellows, celebrated the court's decision in front of their club and then moved to Tahrir square in Cairo.

Seventy-three defendants, including nine top security officials, were arrested after tragic riots at Port Said Stadium following a soccer match between Port Said's al-Masry and Cairo's al-Ahly teams.

The Egyptian interior ministry, for its part, on Saturday asked people in a statement to keep away from the areas of violent clashes, stressing that it would not give up its duty of protecting peoples' lives and the state premises.

The army forces were deployed in Port Said to restore stability, official news agency MENA reported, adding that the Railways Association has decided to halt trains from entering Port Said.

In a statement, Egyptian army's chief of general staff Ousamah Rousdy called the army soldiers to stick to self-restraint in dealing with citizens.

While the situation was inflamed in Port Said, thousands of Cairo-based soccer fans dubbed "Ultras Ahlawy" expressed overwhelming happiness after Saturday's verdict. The fans, who had vowed earlier to die for the retaliation for their murdered fellows, celebrated the court decision in front of their club and then moved to Tahrir square.

Elsewhere, some people headed to the house of President Mohamed Morsi at Egypt's northeastern city of Zagazig in Sharqiya Governorate to celebrate the verdict, which they described as " historical."

Morsi has discussed with justice and communication ministers and chief of national security apparatus means of controlling the violence. He also cancelled his visit to Ethiopia for the African Summit due to the clashes.

After the meeting with Morsi, National Defense Council announced Saturday the possibility of imposing a curfew or a state of emergency in uncontrollable areas of violent confrontations.

"The Council affirms that the state institutions have the right to take necessary actions in order to protect the state premises, including imposing a curfew and state of emergency," said Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud after the meeting.

--With Agencies Inputs--


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