Rioters being sentenced in Egypt

Football Riots

On Saturday 21 Egyptians were sentenced to death. This sentence was sparked from a football riot from last year. When the clashes began there were 22,000 people inside of the stadium which can hold up to 25,000 people. Fans from both sides started bashing each other with rocks and chairs. Many died from falling from the bleachers, and some even suffocated in the mob. The football incident left 74 people dead, and 1,000 injured. This was coined the nation’s worst stadium disaster, and soon after the sentencing protests erupted outside of the prison. This protest left 20 civilians and two soldiers dead. These riots started in an attempt to free loved ones. These crowds fired guns, and hurled rocks at the security forces in an attempt to free their loved ones. In turn the security forces had to use tear gas on the crowd. Armed forces had to be sent in to restore peace. The sentences must be reviewed by Egypt’s highest religious authority, and they will not hear his decision until March 9^th. In addition to the 21 that have already been sentenced and additional 54 defendants will also be sentenced on this date. The Muslim Brotherhood blamed Egypt’s military for all of these deaths. Egypt’s government blamed the fans for provoking the police. Witnesses said that the police did little to try and stop this. 

Article Link: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/26/world/meast/egypt-soccer-deaths/index.html