Twenty-seven Al-Zamalek FC fans were detained on Monday following their club’s loss against the South African Sundowns in a match played in Cairo during the African Champions League, the Cairo Prosecution said.

After the game, sporadic fights broke out between the Al-Zamalek fans and the police, which resulted in their 24-hour detention.

They are being charged with congregation, inciting disorderly conduct, and assaulting members of the police force.

While they admitted that some fans had instigated the quarrel by throwing water bottles at the police, the suspects denied all charges brought against them, and claimed that the police went on to arrest fans arbitrarily.

Clashes between football fans and police forces have become a regular occurrence in Egypt, and have resulted in a year-long ban on the fans’ admission to most football events.