31 Killed in Clashes Over Court Verdict in Port Said

Unrest spreads to Port Said in Egypt where 30 people were killed on January 27, 2013. The unrest war sparked by verdicts convicting suspects of murder last February 11., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

31 killed in clashes over court verdict in Egypt's Port Said

English.news.cn 2013-01-27 18:08:10

• 31 people were killed and 322 injured in clashes in Egypt's Port Said over a football riot verdict.
• Street clashes erupted between the security forces and the family members of the 21 convicts.
• 17 people were seriously wounded, including 15 civilians and two police officers.

CAIRO, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- As many as 31 people were killed and 322 others injured in clashes in Egypt's Port Said over a football riot verdict that sentenced 21 people to death, according to the figure reported on Sunday.

Street clashes erupted between the security forces and the family members of the 21 convicts outside the Port Said prison, after a criminal court in Cairo handed down the verdict over the riot, which killed more than 70 people following a football match last February.

Crowds of people stormed two police stations. Some of them used automatic weapons against policemen, who responded with tear gas in a bid to disperse them.

In addition to the deaths, 17 people were seriously wounded, including 15 civilians and two police officers, official news agency MENA said, adding that they were transferred by a military helicopter to hospitals in Cairo.

The violence came one day after the demonstrations marking the second anniversary of the Jan.-25 revolt. Friday's protests killed nine people, who were among the demonstrators flooding main squares across the country to protest the new constitution and the Muslim Brotherhood's control over the country's institutions.

Main hotels in Cairo closed their doors in fears of gas tears and flying rocks hurting their visitors. Also, the U.S. embassy in Cairo closed its public services due to nearby clashes.

Meanwhile, several opposition parties called on their facebook pages for more protests on Monday, dubbed "angry Monday" after the funerals of the dead killed during the previous clashes, in a bid to urge forming a salvation government and amending the constitution.

On his twitter account, leader of MB's party Mohamed Al Beltagy, appealed to President Mohamed Morsi to use "decisive force" to contain the killings of citizens, the burning of the state institutions and the blocking of roads and the bridges.

Following the violent clashes in Port Said, the Armed Forces deployed troops in the streets to prevent further violence and protect state facilities. On the army official page, a statement denied that the army had used any live ammunition as reported by some media.

Related:

Egypt's Port Said ruling sparks chaos

BEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The Cairo Criminal Court on Saturday ordered the death sentence for 21 defendants over the soccer violence which killed more than 70 people last February.

Seventy-three defendants, including nine top security officials, were arrested for a tragic clash at Port Said Stadium after a match between teams from Port Said and Cairo. It’s a decision that has roused riots, but also brought relief to the families of the victims.

Egyptians rally in Port Said after 21 sentenced to death

CAIRO, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- After Egyptian court sentenced 21 convicts, involved in killing dozens of Cairo soccer fans in Port Said last year, to death on Saturday, thousands of people rallied in the capital Cairo and Port Said, leading to clashes that left 30 killed and over 300 others injured.

In February 2012, 74 people were killed in tragic riots at Port Said Stadium following a soccer match between Port Said's al-Masry and Cairo's al-Ahly teams. Afterwards, 73 people, including nine top security officials, were arrested.