SU Protest Condemns Football Deaths

BY NADINE AWADALLA AND KANZY MAHMOUD

AUC students gathered Wednesday in the New Cairo campus library to protest the killing of at least 29 Zamalek Football Club supporters at the Air Defense Stadium earlier this week.

The protest, organized by the Student Union (SU), condemned the violent clashes when security forces fired tear gas at Zamalek fans who stampeded to avoid being trampled at the only entrance to the stadium.

For many, the deaths were reminiscent of the Port Said football massacre of 72 people three years ago.

“How can we have not learned from our mistakes?” said Sarah Kadry, a political science junior.

Sarah Sherif, an economics junior, lambasted earlier media reports which blamed the deaths on college-age students trying to attend a football game without tickets.

A number of AUCians were at the game, but none were injured.

Students from the German University in Cairo (GUC) also participated in the library demonstration.

GUC student union Vice-President of the Treasury Nadine Kassab said that a student from her university was among those killed on Sunday and that it was important to raise awareness of the violence.

Student protesters are expected to screen amateur and raw footage of the killings during Assembly Hour on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutor General ordered a formal inquiry to be launched into the deaths, as the government suspended Egyptian League matches for an undisclosed period.

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