Egypt coach accepts apology after viral confrontation with Dallas police
Egypt Head Coach Hossam Hassan at a news conference following Friday's World Cup match at Dallas Stadium.
DALLAS - Egypt’s head coach has reportedly moved on after a confrontation with a Dallas police officer at the team’s hotel before their World Cup match.
But at least one Dallas city council member is calling for an investigation.
Egypt and Dallas Police
What we know:
A video clip on social media went viral the day before Egypt beat Australia in a World Cup Round of 32 match at Dallas Stadium.
It shows a Dallas police officer arguing with members of the Egyptian national team’s coaching staff as a player took a picture with a young fan in the hotel’s lobby.
The officer first approaches head coach Hossam Hassan. A shoving match then appears to break out between the officer and team director Ibrahim Hassan.
What they're saying:
Dallas police released a statement confirming the incident took place.
"The Dallas Police Department responded to the Westin at the request of hotel security regarding an individual without event credentials attempting to gain access. The situation was resolved on scene, and DPD met with representatives of the team to address their concerns. The matter has since been resolved," the department said.
Coach Hassan also released a statement that said he has accepted an apology and considers the matter resolved.
"We are really happy to be here at this tournament, and we are satisfied with the security personnel that are accompanying us," Hossam Hassan said. "I would like to point to the high-level organization we have with us and the level of security we have with us."
The other side:
Dallas Councilman Adam Bazaldua called the incident "deeply troubling" and questioned whether the officer was acting with professionalism, dignity, and respect.
"The video circulating online depicting an interaction between a Dallas police officer and a member of the Egyptian national team is deeply troubling and has understandably generated significant concern throughout our community and beyond," he said in a statement.
Bazaldua is calling for more transparency and a thorough, impartial investigation into what happened.
Egypt vs. Australia
Egypt gets historic World Cup win over Australia | Free 4 All+
Egypt won their first-ever World Cup knockout match on Friday afternoon, taking down Egypt on penalty kicks at Dallas Stadium. FOX 4's Mike Doocy and Sam Gannon recap that win and get perspective from other FOX 4 hosts in this episode of Free 4 All+.
Egypt left Dallas after beating Australia in Friday’s knockout match at Dallas Stadium.
It’s the team’s first-ever knockout round victory.
They advance to the Round of 16 and will play Argentina on July 7 at Atlanta Stadium.
The Source: The information in this story comes from the Dallas Police Department, the Associated Press, and statements from Dallas Councilman Adam Bazaldua.