Á¦ ¸ñ Anger flares in Egypt after 79 die in soccer riot Á¶È¸¼ö 6745

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Cairo (CNN) -- As Egyptians began three days of mourning Thursday for the 79 people who died in a soccer riot in the Mediterranean city of Port Said, new violence erupted in Cairo, where protesters confronted police near the Interior Ministry headquarters.

At least 900 people were hurt in clashes near the ministry, said Dr. Adel Adawi, a health ministry spokesman. Protesters remained in the area early Friday.

Egypt's deputy health minister, Dr. Hisham Shiha, said on Egyptian TV that many of the casualties resulted from asphyxiation or bone fractures.

About 60 ambulances were ferrying people between the area where the clashes were occurring and city hospitals, he said.

The soccer violence reignited demands for Egypt's military-led government to make reforms and improve security. An emergency parliamentary session was called.

In Port Said, dried blood caked seats in the stadium where fans of the hometown Al-Masry club stormed the field after a 3-1 win over Cairo's Al-Ahly club. Rival fans battled with rocks and chairs, and witnesses said many of the Al-Masry fans carried knives and sticks.

Many of the dead suffocated in a crush as they tried to flee the stadium, only to find a locked steel gate blocking their escape, survivors said.

In the aftermath, horrified fans questioned why police had not stopped the Al-Masry fans from rushing the visitors' stands, why exits were barred and how fans were able to take weapons into the stadium.

"We believe this is something that has been well-organized," said Khaled Mortagy, a member of Al-Ahly's governing board. "I'm sure there are some hidden hands behind this, but we cannot really see, or we cannot really confirm, who is behind all that."

Mortagy said he believes the incident had nothing to do with sports. Members of the club are shaken by what occurred.

Al-Masry fans chase Al-Ahly players during riots that erupted after the football match. Al-Masry fans chase Al-Ahly players during riots that erupted after the football match.
Scores dead in Egypt soccer riot
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Scores dead in Egypt soccer riot Scores dead in Egypt soccer riot
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At least 47 people were arrested after the clashes, said Gen. Marwan Mustapha, a spokesman for Egypt's Interior Ministry. Mortagy said lawyers for Al-Ahly want to sit in on questioning by prosecutors as an investigation goes forward.

"It's a big catastrophe for Egyptian sports ... a black day for football," he said.

The incident at Port Said, at the mouth of the Suez Canal, ranks among the world's worst sports disasters. It prompted officials to suspend indefinitely Egypt's football premier league.

See high-res images of the riots

Mamdouh Eid, executive manager of the Al-Ahly fans committee, said authorities contributed to the escalation of the violence.

"The police stood there watching, and the ambulances arrived late. I carried several dead fans in my arms," he said.

But Gen. Ismail Osman, a member of Egypt's military council, told Mehwar TV on Thursday that the military and police were not responsible for what happened.

And Mustapha said fans stoked tensions during the entire match.

"There were organized groups in the crowds that purposely provoked the police all through the match and escalated the violence and stormed onto the field after the final whistle," he said. "Our policemen tried to contain them but not engage."

Egypt's fledgling parliament erupted in anger over the national tragedy, with the debate growing so heated that the body's speaker ordered a live broadcast of the session cut off. The order was retracted after lawmakers objected.

Soccer in the Middle East and security
Map of major Egyptian cities  Map of major Egyptian cities
Map of major Egyptian citiesMap of major Egyptian cities

Witnesses: Police stood idle

A committee will investigate the circumstances behind the riot. Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri suspended Port Said's security chief and the head of police investigation. The two men will face an inquiry. Ganzouri also accepted the resignation of Port Said's governor.

A deputy of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party demanded the resignation of the interior minister, holding him responsible for the loss of life.

It was unclear whether the riots were ignited by intense sporting rivalry or political strife. Egyptians just marked the anniversary of the revolution that toppled the longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak.

In Cairo, somber protesters in Tahrir Square -- many dressed in popular Al-Ahly club attire -- decried Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, even though Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi had tried to allay their fears.

"The general prosecutor has started to investigate this saddening incident that hit all the Egyptian people with sorrow and regret," Tantawi told Nile TV. "We will know what the reason is and who caused the catastrophe that happened in Port Said."

Tantawi said the incident is not "something that will let Egypt fall."

ÀÌÀü±Û Egyptian official: 73 dead, hundreds injured in ri
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