Egypt court sentences 21 to death

A court in Egypt passes death sentences on 21 people for their role in Port Said soccer disaster that killed some 74 people in 2012.
Violence erupted in Port Said on Saturday after Cairo Criminal Court in the country’s capital sentenced the people to death over the last year football riot in the Egyptian canal city.

The court said it will announce the verdict for the remaining 52 defendants on March 9.

The defendants include nine policemen and three officials. Other defendants are people alleged to have seized the opportunity to stoke unrest.

Following the Saturday’s verdict, at least six people, including two policemen, were killed outside a prison in Port Said where many of the defendants in the fatal soccer disaster case were held.

Relatives of those sentenced to death tried to storm the prison, leading to fierce clashes with security forces.

In February 2011, fans of home side Al-Masry clashed with Cairo’s Al-Ahly in Port Said, leaving more than 70 people dead and sparking days of violent protests in Cairo, in which another 16 people were killed.

The ruling followed nine deaths on Friday and early on Saturday during clashes between police and protesters in the Egyptian city of Suez.

Egyptian government officials said 456 civilians and members of the security forces were injured in anti-government demonstrations across the country.

Thousands of Egyptians staged demonstrations in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Port Said, and many other cities and towns to call on President Mohamed Morsi, who took office in June 2012, to fulfill his election promises.