Riot broke out during a soccer match in Port Said of Egypt Wednesday, leaving at least 74 people dead and hundreds of others injured. (Photo: Reuters)
74 people were killed and hundreds of others injured in a soccer match riot in Port Said of Egypt, state media reported on Wednesday night.
Fans rushed to the stadium field where el-Masry, a Port Said team, beat the most popular national team el-Ahly three to one in an Egyptian premier league.
Due to insufficient security, most of the fans entered the stadium with sticks in their hands and supporters of the two rival teams started fighting each other.
Two Ahly players are reportedly slightly injured in the clash.
The riot was caused by some insulting posters carried by the Ahly fans, Nile TV reported. One of the posters read "Port Said is like rubbish and it has no men."
In this still image taken from video, soccer fans flood into the pitch during a soccer match between Al Ahli and al-Masry in Port Said of Egypt, Feb 1, 2012. (Photo: Reuters)
Chief of Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Hussein Tantawi, ordered two military helicopters to transfer the players, fans and the injured to the capital Cairo.
Egyptian Prosecutor General Abdel Maguid Mahmoud ordered an investigation into the riot. The parliament will hold an emergency session Thursday over the incident.
A match between Zamalik and Ismaily, held in Cairo International Stadium, was cancelled after the first half finished on Wednesday evening.
When the technical mangers of the two teams heard about what happened in Port Said, they decided to cancel the match for the safety of their players.
