CAIRO — Clashes between rival soccer fans in the Egyptian city of Port Said killed at least 74 people Wednesday night in the deadliest incident since the country’s autocratic president was ousted a year ago.
The bloodshed brought into sharp focus how much security has deteriorated over the past year. The clashes represent one of the biggest crises the interim military leaders have faced since they took power.
“How come there’s a match in Port Said and there’s known tension between the two teams’ fans and there are 12,000 spectators in the stadium and yet there is no security?” parliament member Mohammad Abu Hamed said on state TV.
Many in the country’s Islamist-dominated parliament favor the repeal of the emergency law, which has long been used to persecute government critics and Islamists.
Critics of the military council suggested the episode and other recent violent acts might have been orchestrated to justify the need to rule with an iron fist.
Clashes broke out at the stadium in Port Said at the conclusion of a game between regional teams, the hometown Al-Masry and Cairo’s Al-Ahly, according to news reports and witnesses.
Witnesses said that shortly after the local team won, 3-1, fans used sharp objects, rocks and metal pipes against one another.
