The April 6 Youth Movement (Democratic Front) has released a statement blaming the military council for the Port Said football disaster – in which at least 74 people died when Masry supporters attacked visiting fans of Cairo giants Ahly – and stressing that it was “deliberate.”

“What happened yesterday does not have an explanation expect as part of a plan by the military council and the interior ministry to push the country into chaos and force us to embrace military rule,” said Engy Hamdy, a member of the group’s political office.

The movement also said the violence was a continuation of the security vacuum policy carried out by the military council, which they said was incapable of protecting a football match, let alone an entire country.

“Is it possible that they succeeded in securing parliamentary elections (completed in January 2012) across nine different governorates but were incapable of securing a football match where clashes were possible?” the movement said in a statement.