Violence rises after Egypt soccer deaths

CAIRO -- Anger over a deadly soccer riot erupted in fresh clashes that injured nearly 400 people yesterday as security forces fired tear gas at fans and other protesters who accused police of failing to stop the violence.

Early , health official Mohammed Lasheen said two protesters were killed by police gunfire. They were the first to die in demonstrations that followed a riot after a soccer game that left 74 dead. He said the two were shot as 3,000 people rallied in front of police headquarters in Suez. Police were said to have fired tear gas and live ammunition.

The bloodshed, coming as security has been steadily deteriorating, threatened to plunge the country into a new crisis nearly a year after a popular uprising forced former leader Hosni Mubarak to step down.

A network of rabid soccer fans known as Ultras vowed vengeance, accusing the police of intentionally letting rivals attack them after Wednesday's Egyptian league match in Port Said because they have been at the forefront of protests over the past year, first against Mubarak and now the military that assumed power after his Feb. 11 ouster.

The riot in Port Said began when local Al-Masry fans stormed the field following a rare 3-1 win against Cairo-based Al-Ahly, and began attacking their rivals, forcing hundreds into a narrow stadium exit, only to be crushed against a locked gate.

The fighting was rooted in a long-standing, deep rivalry between the two teams, but it rapidly took on a political tone as lawmakers and the public widely denounced the police for standing by as the violence escalated. Some Al-Ahly fans said they had hung banners making fun of Al-Masry supporters in Port Said before the game, apparently provoking the local fans to riot despite their victory.

The police force, at the heart of grievances leading to the uprising, has remained a source of tension. Police have been accused of heavy-handed tactics and resisting reform.