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Str / EPA
Egyptian security forces keep watch as protesters burn tires in Port Said, east of Cairo, Egypt, March 9, 2013.
News analysis
CAIRO -- If there is any doubt that security in Egypt is on the skids, witness Saturday’s events that lay bare a nation where police are now unable or unwilling to maintain law and order and citizens no longer fear authority. The country held its breath Saturday morning after a judge declared verdicts against suspects accused of involvement in the killing of 72 soccer fans after a match in the city of Port Said last January. The initial verdict of 21 death sentences sparked weeks of riots in Suez Canal cities.
The judge upheld 21 sentences of death by hanging, sentenced two senior police officers to 15-year terms, 22 civilians to terms ranging from life to one year, and acquitted 28 other individuals. The Ultras, rabid supporters of the Ahly soccer team whose fans were targeted in last year’s attack, went on a rampage because seven policemen had been among those acquitted.
They torched and ransacked the Cairo headquarters of Egypt’s Football Association and set fire to the nearby Police Club. After the blaze was brought under control, workers emerged from the still smoldering building with arms full of trophies they had salvaged. The Ministry of Health says five men were injured in the blazes. Two helicopters carrying suspended baskets of water flew overhead. Protests continued on the main street bordering the Nile, where the head of Emergency Services says one demonstrator has succumbed to tear gas inhalation.
Attacks appeared to be continuing into the evening. Protesters began to set fire to shops affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in downtown Cairo later on Saturday. Ultras posted this warning on their Facebook page today: “What happened today in Cairo is only the beginning of our rage. Even more of it will surface if all officials involved in the massacre are not put on trial. We will not be placated by the sentencing of just two police ‘dogs’.”
In Port Said, citizens enraged that the judge confirmed the death sentence of 21 fellow residents took to the streets. Some unsuccessfully tried to impede ferry traffic across the Suez Canal and set speedboats adrift. Egypt’s naval presence along the Suez Canal was reinforced to prevent any further attempts by protesters to disrupt shipping. On Friday, police forces pulled out of the Suez Canal leaving the military in charge after failing to quell weeks of rioting.
Meanwhile, thousands of police throughout Egypt have gone on strike because they believe interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim is too close to the Muslim Brotherhood and has politicized the ministry, pitting police against the people and putting civilians in danger. Sixty police stations have closed down in protest. Police complain they are often put in positions during demonstrations where they are obliged to either attack civilians and face possible charges of police brutality or risk their own lives, and they have demanded Ibrahim’s resignation. In response, the Minister has sacked the head of the Central Security Forces.
Al Gamaa Al-Islamiya, a former militant Islamic Group turned peaceful, announced in a statement they would form security militias to fill the security void in the southern city of Assiut, where police are striking.
To further add to the chaos, Egypt’s interior ministry raised the level of emergency in the Sinai Peninsula on Saturday after receiving information that jihadist groups intend to attack police installations in the Sinai.
Angry soccer fans took to the streets of Cairo Saturday, storming Egypt's soccer federation headquarters and setting it on fire. Two people were killed. NBC's Lester Holt reports.
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As opposed to Detroit, Chicago, Baltimore.........................?
You William, have no idea how right you are about cities like Baltimore.
"I'm all for democracy.... unless you're not going to vote and live the way I want you to."
They thought the day after victory was declared, all their dreams would come true. That's the great lie that is the failure of democracy in other countries. We keep forgetting to remind them it took us over two hundred years to get where we are today, and we lead them to expect they will have New York City and Disney World and the money to spend in them a week after the fighting stops.
These people are not educated or worldly enough to handle the hard work that comes with building a country and that is what democracy is... it is not just a flip-over from one form of government to another, it is the building of a country from the ground up... from infrastructure to politics to education.
We have been peddling the lie of "democracy is best for the whole world" too long and we need to stop before the entire planet is on fire.
Baltimore, the city that bleeds. LOL!
Freakin' soccer fanatics . . .
No sir!
Sunni Islamic seventh century desert mindset bigots are the worst fanatics in the world and they are one-way traffic barbarians.
In Egypt, it is reactions to Sunni Islamists' manipulations!
"Protesters began to set fire to shops affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood in downtown Cairo later on Saturday."
Hope it is beginning of liberation movements from Sunni Islamists and their Sharia Laws.
Soccer fan are more violent than the players !
"thousands of police throughout Egypt have gone on strike because they believe interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim is too close to the Muslim Brotherhood and has politicized the ministry, pitting police against the people and putting civilians in danger."
Who are worse soccer fans or the Sunni Muslim Bloodhounds and their gangs?
Time for the Army to take control. Clearly Egypt requires a strong military dictatorship to keep order. We've given them tanks and jet fighters. We've given them chain guns and napalm. Time for them to use those tools to quell the rioting.
Democracy has proven once again to just be mob rule.
You have NO idea what you are talking about, whatsoever. You are clueless as to what's happening on the ground level from your high and macro point of view.
John Carter-428979:
Your response reveals an extremely limited understanding of what's currently happening in Egyptian society. The so-called 'Arab Spring' movements which rolled across the entire middle east gave middle eastern citizens a sense of rising expectations which President Morsi and the Islamic Brotherhood have attempted to reverse. But Morsi was supported by only about 52% of Egyptian voters and his association with the Muslim Brotherhood is opposed by the Egyptian military.
If, as you suggest, the Egyptian military "takes control", they will be arrayed against the current Egyptian government, and the turmoil will continue.
I suspect that you think that quelling today's rioting would mean that all is well in Egyptian society.
Also, your pert dismissal of democracy is overly simplistic.
I agree with you that army should take control.
Army should try and jail those Sunni Islamists like MB, Salaffi and their fronts Morsi.
If Morsi and MBs control Egypt, life will be unbearable to sane Muslims, minority sect/tribe Muslims, females, Christians and Jews of Israel.
Sharia laws are unfit for 21st century.
Also very few Muslim nations have democracy.
Time has come to accept realities on Islam and its practices by followers of the cult.
Carter--good post. Martial law until calm is restored, then a gradual return to civilian rule.
And we plan on giving this country 250 million dollars? WTF!
As opposed to the $1.5 Billion yearly to use solely on US manufactured military goods granted by the past SEVERAL White House administrations that fanned the flames of violence and oppression against the Egyptians in the first place?
Jonathan
your question is a good one. Egypt is a nation on the verge of terrorism. The MB has been waiting for their chance to run Egypt under Islamist rule.
The young liberals who started the revolution are outside looking in. Chaos will prevail. We should stop aid.
Deborah
Several White House administrations supported Mubarak because his heavy handed dictatorship kept peace, but it was not an easy decision to support him. Sadat was just a Nazi in disguise. Both were bent on maintaining peace and oppressed their people. That is why the population hates the West and supports the MB. But they have always been that way.
Sorry Lar but Sadat was a statesman. He was assassinated by the Brotherhood because tried to end the cycle of violence by bringing the country into the twentieth century and recognize that peace with Israel was imperative to do so. His and Mubaracks rule may have been heavy handed but given the ongoing chaos in Egypt one can hardly blame them for their stewardship of the country. Egypt needs a civil war to finally settle things. I just hope there is a Lincoln among them to put the country back together. Can't say I'm optomistic though.
Timothy
Sadat was a Nazi during WWII. Sadat attacked Israel in 73, knowing that wheter he won or lost he would get back Sinai. You are right, the MB, and one of their former middle managers Al Zawahari were behind his assassination. Interestingly, Mubarak freed Al Zawahiri from prison. Colonel Islambuli was just a trigger man. There is a lot more behind the assassination of Sadat.
Whether Sadat wanted peace with Israel for nothing else his own glory was never determined. He died before he could carry out his plan.
These people eat sleep and fart violence. The only thing Muslims can agree on is that non Muslims should be harassed pushed out or murdered and anyone left should accept dhimmitude which is another form of slavery.
"Al Gamaa Al-Islamiya, a former militant Islamic Group turned peaceful, announced in a statement they would form security militias to fill the security void in the southern city of Assiut, where police are striking."
In between, there can be jokes like "militant Islamic Group turned peaceful". This joke is one more addition to the regular business of telling lies, fooling, "love and peace" dances and dramas, weeping, chest beating, threatening, rioting and killing!
The violence will only get worse until the Muslim Brotherhood understands that they need to share power. Their attempts to replace a military dictatorship with an Islamic dictatorship is destroying the country.
Thats what militant Islamists are best at, destroying countries. They want nothing modern at all. Just sit around and pray to Allah all day and night. And maybe stone a few women every once in a while for recreation. What a life.
while i agree its a @!$%#hole, there were worse rioats here in the 60's and 70's and while they were roiting no one said th u s was skidding out of control. watch out for anything you read since we still are dumping a billion dollars there
Riots in Egypt! News flash, stop the presses!!
So, what else is new? Besides, the more they kill each other, the better!
I think Kerry needs to go back to Egypt and give Morsi Brotherhood another three or four hundred million dollars of our money. That ought to settle things down. If not, then we'll give them another three or four hundred million dollars. Our government is just Great at giving our money away. In fact it's what they do best.
All this over a stupid football game!
Maybe Egypt was better off under Mubarak. Morsi certainly hasn't improved life for average Egyptians and he may yet become Mubarak's cell mate.
What a world.
Coming to a State near you!
Citizens no longer fear authority. Really?! Citizens should respect authority, not fear it.
What is strange is that Teddy Roosevelt said" The World will never respect us but it will fear us". Teddy would roll over if he saw the ways things are now. Jani there is a fine line between respect an fear. I do agree with you. However, this world of folks are not as respectful as you are.
Someone should make a reality-TV show where soccer fans from different countries battle each other. Imagine English soccer thugs vs Egyptian!