At least 73 killed in clashes after Egypt soccer match

violent clashes after Egypt soccer match At least 73 Egyptians were killed Wednesday in violence following a soccer match in Port Said, when fans flooded the field seconds after a match against a rival team was

over, the Health Ministry said. Without giving specific figures, Deputy Health Minister Hesham Shiha said in a statement that hundreds were injured. A security official and a medic said fans of the home team, Masry, swarmed the field after a rare 3-1 win against Ahly, Egypt\'s top team. They threw stones, fireworks, and bottles at the fans and injured some players.
A medic at a morgue in Port Said said some of the dead were security officers. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
The causes of the deaths were not immediately known.
The security official said fans chased players and cornered their supporters on the field, throwing stones and bottles at them.
The players were later taken to the locker room for protection, Sayed Hamdi, a player, told state TV.
\"One of the fans died in the dressing room,” Ahmed Nagi, an Ahly goalkeeping coach, said on Egyptian state television. “And there are thousands of wounded lying in the hallways.”
Egyptian state TV footage showed protesters setting fire to the Cairo Stadium, after a football match between the Zamalek team, one of the most popular clubs, and the Ismailia team. The teams were tied 2-2 when the match was called off.
Zamalek coach Hassan Shehata decided not to continue the second half of the match after violent clashes erupted simultaneously in Port Said Stadium between Ahly and Masry fans.
Samir Zaher, Chairman of the Egyptian Football Association, decided tonight to suspend indefinitely Egypt’s Premiere League in response to the deadly clashes of Port Said.
Independent MP Amr Hamzawy said on his Twitter account Wednesday evening that Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim must be dismissed along with head of the security and governor of Port Said and that he sent the parliament speaker, Saad al-Katatni, a message demanding to hold an extraordinary session to discuss the riot events.
Dr. Ehab Ali, Ahly team doctor, called the violence in Port Said Stadium “a war that had been planned” and demanded a prompt investigation. He added that the field was in a state of chaos. Ali’s comments came during a phone call to a program on the Ahly television channel.