The police arrested 26 Ghazl Mahalla supporters as riots erupted when the lowly team played out a 1-1 draw at Harras Hodoud and waved goodbye to the Egyptian Premier League. Mahalla finished the season in 14th place with 31 points, three below the safety zone to lose their top-flight spot. A victory over Hodoud wouldn't have prevented Mahalla's demotion but their fans wreaked havoc after Monday's game anyway. "We are now trying to persuade the authorities in Alexandria to release the detainees," Mahalla's football director Fatouh Al-Sawi told FilGoal.com. The city of Mahalla has witnessed disturbance since the minnows became relegation-threatened. After the stalemate with Hodoud, a host of Mahalla's spectators damaged some of the Max Stadium seating before they were captured by the security forces.