22 killed in reaction to 21 sentenced to death for role in killing 72. Madness. #PortSaid
— Sharif Kouddous (@sharifkouddous) January 26, 2013
More chaos in Egypt: At least 20 civilians and two police officers are dead in Port Said after a death penalty verdict led to clashes outside a prison. A judge sentenced 21 to death in connection with a soccer riot that killed 74 fans last year. Relatives reportedly shot two police officers and stormed the prison to free the defendants.
Hundreds more are injured and the Egyptian military has been deployed.
22 dead now in escalating violence in #PortSaid meanwhile NSF call for President #morsi to step down #egypt
— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) January 26, 2013
The sense I am getting from ppl is that they genuinely thot defendants will be acquitted, totally shocked by verdict #PortSaid #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Updating my graph of number of people killed over time in #portsaid today. An almost steady rate of 6 deaths per hour. pic.twitter.com/RoDwbEFx
— Mostafa Hussein Omar (@moftasa) January 26, 2013
Scene outside #PortSaid prison.. Dozens gathered to ensure that defendants don't get moved, more police arrive #Egypt pic.twitter.com/SnLg8emm
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
#PortSaid protesters gather in front of prison, chant as cameras film #Egypt pic.twitter.com/uDnXZ3pg
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
SCREAMS, GUNFIRE IN #PORTSAID #EGYPT
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Gunshot from outside hit mirror right by my purse #PortSaid #Egypt pic.twitter.com/JtTJBoCK
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Railway authority stops trains to #PortSaid #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
There is no doubt live ammunition, automatic rifles being used here by ppl in plainclothes #PortSaid #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Recommended
People trying to storm prison in #PortSaid.. Hospitals taking in dozens of injured #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Near by police station has been set on fire #PortSaid #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Police seal #PortSaid city entrances, exits.. Army securing Suez Canal, but not on city streets yet #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Army's second command deploys in #PortSaid #Egypt
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
People in #PortSaid trying to stop the tanks & armored vehicles of the army from entering the city #Egypt pic.twitter.com/ZkPyUbxC
— ☆AbuHafiz☆ (@Priapus_D) January 26, 2013
Fire in vicinity of #PortSaid prison & military tank by entrance #Egypt pic.twitter.com/WkTefGH7
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Better picture of military tank parked outside #PortSaid prison gate #Egypt pic.twitter.com/tZfffPWu
— Rawya Rageh (@RawyaRageh) January 26, 2013
Intense video of clashes & gunfire in #PortSaid after verdict in #Egypt football riot. http://t.co/evXNd3J9 pic.twitter.com/aDG2U5Et
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) January 26, 2013
Video:
Video of when families of the accused heard the court ruling http://t.co/X2G0vkTA #portsaid
— Patrick deHahn (@patrickdehahn) January 26, 2013
Another account of the outbreak and gunfire from the ground:
Incredible outside Ahly ground. Thousands with smoke bombs, rockets flares as 21 sentenced to death #portsaid #ahly pic.twitter.com/bQWkt5Ao
— James Montague (@JamesPiotr) January 26, 2013
A father of one of 72 is carried on the crowd's shoulders at the front. He's holding a lit red flare in one hand, a gun in the other
— James Montague (@JamesPiotr) January 26, 2013
Someone now firing an automatic pistol. Thankfully they weren't professionals. Gun jammed after a couple of shots
— James Montague (@JamesPiotr) January 26, 2013
No one was expecting a guilty verdict. Some fans think that the momentum has been lost to topple the regime. Crowds leaving.
— James Montague (@JamesPiotr) January 26, 2013
On the ground death toll in #PortSaid with reports of 5 dead and rising. If this was a politicised verdict to avoid trouble, it has failed.
— James Montague (@JamesPiotr) January 26, 2013
A photo from the stadium before chaos erupted:
Everyone and anyone being allowed to enter the Ahly club where thousands are are cursing #PortSaid pic.twitter.com/DkS8ql1y
— آدم مكاري (@adamakary) January 26, 2013
Rifts deepen:
Recent elections results exposed a rift: urban vs rural. The Port Said massacre verdict added another rift: Cairo vs Port Said.
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) January 26, 2013
And violence begets more violence:
I'm very worried about what is happening in #PortSaid #Egypt now. Where r the voices of reason??? Violence only leads to more violence.
— Jeanie Abdullah (@4libya) January 26, 2013
According to @AP: #PortSaid deaths came after 2 police were killed; officers then fired into crowd. http://t.co/wuurBmvl
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) January 26, 2013
If the steady rise in killing in #portsaid doesn't stop. Isn't this the same crime that #mubarak was found guilty of? pic.twitter.com/5dlZxPIg
— Mostafa Hussein Omar (@moftasa) January 26, 2013
https://twitter.com/aerdt/status/295169239516606464
One Cairo-based journalist offered this half-hearted defense of Morsi …
To be fair to #Morsi – he was stuck between a rock &a hard place. There would be chaos which ever way the verdict swung. #Ultras #PortSaid
— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) January 26, 2013
… which was met with immediate pushback:
https://twitter.com/Polly_Purebred_/status/295124325235830784
https://twitter.com/DioscorusBoles/status/295124573609918464
https://twitter.com/naz_omar/status/295126784188493827
https://twitter.com/esfahanhanim/status/295147304409784320
So, how’s that Arab Spring working out for you, Egypt?
Happy Birthday Egypt spring 🙁 RT @EgyIndependent: Breaking: Ministry of Health: 12 killed and 158 injured in #PortSaid clashes.”"
— Esther Voet (@Esther_Voet) January 26, 2013
Now more dead than the number of those to be executed #PortSaid Egyptian lives sold cheap ya #Morsi
— Ranya A. (@RanyaPI) January 26, 2013
Over football? sigh RT @abeerallamj: In his attempt to please alahli football fans #Morsi is about to create a civil war#portsaid
— Steven Strauss (@Steven_Strauss) January 26, 2013
Join the conversation as a VIP Member