(AFP File Photo)
On 1 February 2012, 74 Al-Ahly supporters belonging to the club’s biggest fan base Ultras Ahlawy were killed following a football match in the Port Said stadium in what became commonly known as the “Port Said massacre”.
Al-Masry fans stormed the pitch and attacked Al-Ahly players and fans. Clashes broke out between the two sides, yet the police did not intervene. The ensuing violence resulted in numerous deaths as a result of stabbing, beating, being crushed by the stampede or being thrown off the upper tier of the stadium seating.
Seventy-three people were put on trial after being accused of premeditated murder. The first verdict came in January 2013, when 21 people were sentenced to death. In March 2013, an appeals court upheld the 21 death sentences, and other defendants were given sentences ranging from 15 years to life in prison. However, subsequent appeals have led to a retrial.
Since the inception of the Ultras Ahlawy in 2007, the group has clashed repeatedly with the police and it also played a significant role during protests in the 25 January Revolution.