Cairo: Thousands of Egyptians participated in several marches across Port Said on Sunday as part of a planned campaign of civil disobedience to demand "retribution" for those responsible for the death of dozens of residents in clashes with police last month.
The campaign is being spearheaded by the Ultras Green Eagles, hardcore fans of Port Said`s Masry football club.
Marchers converged on the provincial governor`s office in order to rally the support of government employees, some of whom reportedly responded to protesters` calls.
Some marchers also made their way to other government-run institutions, including the local headquarters of Telecom Egypt, and the city`s port authority, in an effort to ratchet up pressure on the government, Ahram online reported.
Also today, the hard-line football fans of Al-Ahly stormed the posh Shooting Club in the area of Mohandessin after they were informed a volleyball team from Port Said was playing there.
Ten players were injured before the security managed to get the team and their bus safely out of the club heading back to their hometown.
The feud between the two clubs had started on February 1, 2012, when a game between the two teams ended in a massacre which left 74 Ahly fans killed.
Later 21 fans from Port Said were given death sentence for their role in the massacre. Violence triggered by the sentence left close to 40 people dead and more than a thousand injured.
The violence in the area caused Egyptian President Muhammed Mursi to impose a curfew on the three cities overlooking the canal.
Meanwhile, close to Tahrir, Coptic Christians arranged protests in objection to an alleged attempt to attack a church in Al-Fayoum in Upper Egypt.
The rally started in Shourba neighbourhood known to have a large Coptic population.
The church was reportedly attacked following a quarrel between the church`s priest and a Muslim neighbour.
In a related matter, the Egyptian public prosecution issued an arrest warrant against Salafist preacher known as "Abu Islam" over charges of contempt of religion.
Lawyer and Coptic rights activist Naguib Gabriel had lodged a complaint with the public prosecution accusing Abu Islam of disdain for religion in a number of interviews to the religious Al-Ummah satellite channel.
Meanwhile, thousands of protesters also marched from Cairo`s Doweika slum area towards Tahrir chanting slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood.
PTI
