Egypt suspends its football league after 25 fans killed in stadium stampede

At least 25 supporters were crushed in a stampede after police fired tear gas at the tightly-packed crowd.

17:37 09 February 2015

25 football fans died in a stampede when a group of Zamalek fans tried to force their way in to watch the match against city rival ENPPI in Cairo. Several people were crushed when supporters and the police clashed outside the stadium.

Witnesses said that police officers fired at fans with lead pellets. Some also posted pictures showing dead bodies and street littered with shoes on Facebook.

A fan said that the stampede started when the police fired tear gas at supporters. “Those who fell down could not get back up again,” he added.

Because of the event, Egypt’s Premier League has been suspended indefinitely and an arrest warrant has been issued to the leaders of the Ultras White Knights, a Zamalek supporters group.

“Huge numbers of Zamalek club fans came to Air Defence Stadium to attend the match...and tried to storm the stadium gates by force, which prompted the troops to prevent them from continuing the assault,” a statement from Egypt’s interior ministry said.