Dr. Bahaa Helmy Writes: The Ultras Strife

Many football fans and supporters have joined Ultras groups since they appeared in Egypt in 2007, and we have seen stadiums filled with football fans and lovers of all ages and affiliations, young people, children and adults.

They take part in cheering on the teams, especially the Egyptian national team, and interact with the innovative styles of cheering led by some enthusiastic young people carrying the flag of Egypt, forming a unique work of art whose content is the pleasure of watching and the love of Egypt.

The enjoyment of football is only complete with the crowds and supporters who spur the players on to victory and spread joy in everyone’s hearts.

There is no doubt that the nature and diversity of this crowd differ from, and indeed conflict with, the principles and mentality of the Ultras, taken and copied from (the English hooligans), such as: belonging to the club and its team, fighting the supporters of the rival team, hostility to the security forces, brotherhood in blood, an underground mentality, pride in racism, keeping away from the media and politics, fostering a spirit of rebellion, and other principles that we set out in our books (Stadium Riots and Methods of Confronting Them in English and Egyptian Law) and (The Legislative and Security Confrontation of Ultras Riots in Stadiums).

The Brotherhood and the Salafists were first to infiltrate the Ultras groups through the group’s young members who were members and leaders in those groups, whether at the top of the groups’ pyramid (the direttivo) entrusted with managing the group, or through the second level, known as (the nucleo – the capo – the sections – the active members, the areas and the committees) and others – according to the language and terminology of the world’s Ultras – who led the Ultras’ participation in the political and security events of 2011 (the demonization of the Ultras) to implement the goals of the Brotherhood and its helpers in 2011 under the cover of individual participation, after some young people refused to violate the principle of not taking part in politics.

The Brotherhood and El-Shater adopted the Ahly Ultras, and the Salafists and Abu Ismail controlled the Zamalek Ultras, and they took part in many of the events, violence and killing that took place in Egypt from 28 January 2011, the date of the attacks on police stations, and the incidents that followed, such as the Mohamed Mahmoud events 1 and 2, the Gabalaya events, the attack on the Police Club in Gezira, the Semiramis Hotel, the Air Defence Stadium events, and let us not forget the Port Said Stadium massacre, described as the black day of football, and other regrettable events.

They continued the violence until after the fall of the Brotherhood at the hands of the people on 30 June 2013, committing many crimes and acts of thuggery, such as storming a PlayStation shop in Giza, assaulting a university student and setting fire to the place, and other documented acts of violence in support of the terrorist organization’s plans.

We must acknowledge that there is a segment of Ultras members who do not belong to the terrorist organization, but there is a broad sector of members of the group in the Ultras, through whom they are trying to exploit the Ultras again by stoking the principles that agree with their own, such as not recognizing the homeland and its borders, denying the flag and the national anthem, and having no belonging or loyalty except to the Guide (“To hell with Egypt”), as they put it.

This became clear when the Ahly Ultras fans chanted and sang for the club while the national anthem was being played at the Ahly–Mahalla match in recent days, in a manner indicating contempt and incitement to disloyalty to the homeland, in line with the principles of the terrorist organization.

The truth is that the rebelliousness and impetuousness of youth do not mean rebellion against the homeland, the people, the family or national and moral values and principles. What the Brotherhood is doing, as usual, is trying to sow discord with the fans of the biggest club in Egypt in Egypt through a segment belonging to them – which we have called “the Ultras strife”.

Both England and Egypt have succeeded in confronting the violence, incitement and extremism of Ultras individuals or groups by applying the principle of the rule of law and preserving national security.

The youth and people of Egypt have a high degree of awareness and the ability to expose the actions of the malicious group and its attempts to harm Egypt.

They do not know that the flag and the national anthem dwell in the conscience and mind of the Egyptian people; how wonderful are the examples of sacrifice offered by the sons of Egypt, “the best soldiers on earth”, in defending the soil and security of the homeland, even unto sacrifice; how beautiful is the participation of young people, children and adults in cheering on my country’s national football team, raising the banner of Egypt; and how sublime is working and striving to raise the flag of Egypt high and fluttering.. So beware of strife.