Egyptian activists are taking to the streets Thursday to protest the failure of police to prevent violence at a soccer match that left at least 74 people dead and hundreds injured in the northern city of Port Said. The protesters are angry that most riot police in the stadium appeared to stand idly by as the worst case of soccer violence in Egyptian history unfolded on Wednesday night. Others are concerned that some of the fans were apparently allowed to carry weapons into the stadium. The violence broke out when fans of the home team, Al-Masry, stormed the field at the end of the match, attacking players and supporters of the visiting Al-Ahly club.
VOA correspondent Elizabeth Arrott reported a tense environment Thursday in Port Said, where troops were deployed to prevent further clashes. She said some protesters in the city are blaming the police and military for the incident, while others are calling for retaliation against the fans who instigated the violence. The deputy director of the Port Said General Hospital told VOA that many of the casualties appeared to be the result of suffocation and stab wounds. Witnesses say others died after being trampled or thrown from the terraces of the stadium. The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest political party, blamed the violence on supporters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, saying some are "intent on forcing Egypt into chaos and destruction." Egypt's cabinet and parliament are discussing the events during emergency meetings on Thursday, at the beginning of an official three-day period of mourning. The head of Egypt's military council, Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, has formed a task force to investigate the incident, and promised the riots "will not affect Egypt and its security."
埃及人权活动人士星期四走上街头，抗议警方未能预防一场足球赛上的暴力事件。发生在北部城市塞德港的这场骚乱造成至少74人死亡，数百人受伤。这次埃及有史以来最严重的足球暴力事件星期三晚上发生时，球场上大多数防暴警察看来只是袖手旁观，抗议者对此感到愤怒。其他人担心，一些球迷似乎被允许把武器带进体育场。主队阿尔-马斯利队的球迷在比赛结束时冲入球场，袭击客队阿尔-阿赫利俱乐部队的球员和球迷，引发了这起暴力事件。
美国之音记者阿罗特报道了塞德港星期四的紧张局势，那里已经部署了军队，以防发生进一步冲突。阿罗特说，塞德港的一些抗议者认为警方和军队要为这次事件负责，而其他抗议者呼吁对挑起暴力冲突的球迷进行报复。塞德港总医院的副院长对美国之音说，很多死者看上去是死于窒息和刀伤。目击者说，其他人是在受到踩踏或被扔下看台后死去的。埃及最大的政党穆斯林兄弟会把这次暴力事件归咎于被赶下台的穆巴拉克总统的支持者，声称其中某些人“企图迫使埃及陷于混乱和毁灭”。埃及内阁和议会星期四召开紧急会议，讨论有关事态。埃及星期四开始为期三天的正式哀悼。埃及执政的军事委员会首脑穆罕默德·坦塔维元帅组成一个负责调查这一事件的工作组，并保证这场骚乱不会影响埃及及其安全。
