my-server
← Wiki

30 June Stadium stampede

During the 30 June Stadium stampede, 28 football fans died on 8 February 2015 in a confrontation with the police at the gates of 30 June Stadium during a league match between two Cairo clubs, Zamalek and ENPPI.

Most of the dead were crushed to death and suffocated when the crowd stampeded after police used tear gas to clear the fans trying to force their way into the stadium. Egypt's former ultra fans are notorious for leading the 2011 Egyptian revolution and had many problems with the police, banners or chants were at times displayed at matches insulting the police. Egypt has designated ultra groups as terrorist groups.

Buildup & Event

The fixture came after a long-awaited lift of the ban on supporters in stadiums after The Port Said Massacre (2012). The Chair of Zamalek's executive board, Mortada Mansour issued a press release stating that fans would be allowed to attend the game for free as a "gift to the fans of Zamalek." This created significant confusion, as many fans believed they only needed to show up at the stadium to enter.

  • In an interview with Sada al-Balad, Mansour claimed 5,000 tickets were distributed to fans for free, while the other 5,000 were sold to club members.ÂÂ
  • In a separate interview with ONtv Live, he claimed 5,000 were "free invitations" distributed to fans, including the Ultras White Knights (UWK), and 5,000 were for sale.
  • Later, on Al Hayah TV, he claimed 10,000 tickets were printed but only 6,000–7,000 were actually sold/distributed.

On February 7, 2015 (The day before the match) A narrow, 15-meter-long corridor made of iron bars and topped with barbed wire was constructed at the stadium entrance. The UWK later labeled this the "Death Cage," (Or "The Corridor of Death") arguing it was unprecedented and designed to bottleneck the crowd.

February 8, 2015 (3:00 PM – 5:30 PM) Thousands of fans arrived at the stadium. Because of Mansour's "free ticket" announcement, many fans showed up without physical tickets, believing they would be granted entry upon arrival. At the same time, those who did have tickets were forced into the narrow iron corridor, which could only accommodate a few people at a time.

February 8, 2015 (Around 6:00 PM) The crowd size swelled to roughly 5,000–10,000 people. As the bottleneck in the metal corridor became unbearable, the crowd began to press forward.

  • The Police Response: According to eyewitnesses and forensic reports, security forces fired tear gas directly into the packed iron corridor.
  • The Result: Panic ensued. Fans couldn't escape the gas because of the iron bars. Most of the 20 to 28 victims (numbers vary by source) died of asphyxiation due to the stampede and the gas, rather than birdshot or live ammunition.
  • Mortada Mansour appeared on several TV channels (Sada al-Balad and ONtv). He shifted his story, claiming that while he had provided some free invitations, the Ultras had "thugged" their way in and orchestrated the violence to sabotage the state.
  • The Match: Incredibly, the match was allowed to proceed and began at 7:30 PM, even as bodies were being moved outside. Only one player, Omar Gaber, refused to play after learning of the deaths; he was subsequently suspended by the club.

Reactions

Domestic

International

  • FIFA – FIFA president Sepp Blatter sent a letter to Mohamed Gamal, the President of the Egyptian Football Association, in which he expressed his sorrow for the occurrence of a number of victims as a result of events before the game.

This stampede is still in court and being investigated.

Local & Ultras

The reaction from the Ultras White Knights was one of immediate and profound betrayal. They framed the event not as an accidental stampede, but as a "premeditated massacre." The UWK official Facebook page released statements accusing Mortada Mansour and the Ministry of Interior of a "conspiracy." They argued that the "free ticket" announcement was a deliberate lure to attract a massive crowd to a stadium with a single, caged entrance (the "Death Cage") to facilitate a crackdown.

In the days following, the group adopted the slogan "We will never forget, we will never forgive." They held several funeral processions that turned into anti-government and anti-Mansour protests, often chanting: "Oh Mortada, you coward, the blood of the fans is on your hands."

Ultras White Knights also proceeded to release a song Called "صرخة العشرين" (Sarkhet El 3esrheen, which translates to "The Roar of the Twenty") The Song pays a tribute to the 20 Victims. (number varies by source) It tells the story of the event and paints the victims as martyrs. Dying for freedom and the cause that the ultras stand for.

As Tradition, Ultras White Knights and Ultras Ahlawi hold flashlights at the 20th minute (Just as They do at the 74th Minute for the victims of the Port Said Riots.)

Another Memorial track released by the Ultras White Knights is "Efta7 Benmoot" (Which translates to: "Open Up, we are dying")

Ultras White Knights also carry A Flag bearing the Number 20 in tribute to the victims, it is consistently carried in every match that they attend and is one of the only flags that are unconditionally brought to matches.

See also

References