: 35 Egyptian police hurt as football violence simmers

35 Egyptian police hurt as football violence simmers
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AFP on 11/21/2009 16:32:00
 
CAIRO (AFP) – Protesters injured dozens of police near the Algerian embassy in
Egypt's capital on Friday, fanning the flames of a diplomatic spat that erupted
after Algeria won a football World Cup qualifier.
Thirty-five police were hurt and 15 cars were damaged in the violence as
demonstrators hurled stones and firebombs, a police official said.
Authorities gave no details on the number of protesters hurt, but said 20 had
been arrested.
Protests erupted late on Thursday following Egypt's 1-0 defeat the previous
night in a play-off in the Sudanese capital. They turned violent early on Friday
after reports that Egyptians had been attacked in Khartoum.
The Cairo demonstrators burned Algerian flags, chanted anti-Algerian slogans
and sang the Egyptian national anthem.
"We should treat Algeria like any country that has declared war on us," said
Amr Higazi, a university student holding a placard calling for the expulsion of
the Algerian ambassador.
By the afternoon, riot police blocked access to the street to the Algerian
mission, in the affluent Nile River island district of Zamalek, and herded away
about 30 protesters, some of whom trampled upon and burned Algerian flags.
Egyptian leaders also weighed in after fans said stones were thrown at their
buses on Wednesday as they headed for Khartoum airport after the 1-0 defeat.
Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali said 21 Egyptians were lightly injured. That
figure was disputed by Sudanese police, who said that only four were hurt.
Later, in a rare public statement, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's elder son
Alaa slammed the Algerian fans as "mercenaries" and said the Egyptian team had
faced "terror and self-pressure" in Khartoum.
"There appears to be something strange in the composition of Algeria -- it has
spite and malice towards Egypt," he was quoted by state news agency MENA as
telling a television sports programme.
The dispute even pervaded the Cairo International Film festival, with actors on
the red carpet vigorously condemning Algeria to reporters. Egyptian actors were
among the fans who came under attack in Sudan.
"I thought you (Algerians) were a respectable people. You showed otherwise.
Barbarians," said one actress.
Amr Mussa, head of the Cairo-based Arab League, appealed for calm.
Related article: FIFA opens disciplinary action against Egypt.
"I call for a return to calm and reason on the Arab street. The affair must be
restored to its true proportions, after all the Egyptians like the Algerians are
Arabs," Mussa, in Dubai for an economic forum, told AFP.
Egypt recalled its ambassador from Algeria on Thursday for consultations and
summoned the Algerian envoy in Cairo to protest against the attacks for the
second time after Algerian fans attacked Egyptian firms and homes in Algiers.
Protesters attacked 15 offices belonging to a local subsidiary of Egypt's
Orascom Telecom, prompting the company to pull its 25 Egyptian employees and
their families out, and twice ransacked the Algiers offices of EgyptAir.
That was in response to an incident before the first match between the two
sides in Cairo last week. Several Algerian footballers were hurt when the team
bus was stoned en route from the airport to their hotel.
Related article: Arab League urges calm.
After that game, buses carrying Algerian fans were also stoned.
Later Sudan summoned Egypt's envoy in Khartoum to protest against Egyptian
media reports of security lapses in Khartoum allowing Algerians to attack
Egyptian fans.
Algiers on Friday summoned the Egyptian ambassador to protest at attacks on
Algeria by the Egyptian media, APS news agency reported.
It cited Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci as expressing "incomprehension and
major concern" at "the escalating media campaign" in Egypt.
The Algerian authorities also said that at least 14 people died and more than
250 were injured in traffic accidents during celebrations following Wednesday's
victory.
On Thursday, world football governing body FIFA said it had begun disciplinary
proceedings against the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) over the Cairo
attack on the Algerian team, which Egyptian security officials insisted had been
staged by the Algerians.