Violence after Morocco’s victory over Portugal

Bei riots after the semi-final entry of Morocco The police in Brussels arrested 60 people during the World Cup. As the Belgian news agency Belga reported on Sunday night, citing a police spokeswoman, revelers had after the 1-0 win over Portugal Massive use of pyrotechnics. Small groups threw objects at the police officers.

At first, the celebrations began peacefully, but then the mood changed, Belga reported. During previous North African victories, there had been riots in Brussels by supporters of Morocco.

The celebrations of thousands of fans in several large cities in the Netherlands also escalated. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, the riot police arrived on Saturday evening to bring order to the streets. In Amsterdam, police reported multiple arrests after fans set off heavy firecrackers. The crowd was asked to clear an area.

According to the police, there were also arrests in Rotterdam, and a central square was cleared by the riot police. The police in Utrecht reported property damage.

Meanwhile, thousands celebrated on the streets of Casablanca and other Moroccan cities, proudly waving the flag. Again and again the supporters exuberantly shouted: “We are qualified!”

The success of the “Lions of Atlas” is historic, because never before has a team from the African continent reached the semi-finals of a World Cup. The celebrations in Morocco began immediately after the final whistle, and the kingdom was in a frenzy. During the course of the tournament in Qatar, the North Africans had, among other things, the World Cup third place Belgium, the former world champion Spain and now in Portugal beaten the European champion of 2016 around superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Hundreds of fans also celebrated exuberantly in Berlin. According to the police, there was a party of Morocco fans with around 300 to 500 people in the Neukölln district. A spokesman for the police situation service said the celebration in Sonnenallee did not go quite as the police had imagined. Bengalos and firecrackers were ignited. Numerous officers were on duty. “After the deployment of strong forces, calm has returned,” said the situation service.

There was also a party at Alexanderplatz. According to the police, around 80 to 100 people had gathered there. There was another celebration a little later in City West. According to the police, around 300 fans celebrated at Hardenberg-Platz.

There were also boisterous celebrations in several cities in North Rhine-Westphalia. A huge crowd had gathered in downtown Düsseldorf. Firecrackers and bengalos were lit, smoke lay over the area inhabited by many North Africans. Numerous police officers were on duty.

Things were quieter in Dortmund and Essen. According to a police spokesman, around 300 football fans celebrated in downtown Essen. “Pyrotechnics were also ignited, but overall everything remained peaceful,” said the spokesman in the evening. In Dortmund, a motorcade drove through the city with a horn concert. Bengalos and firecrackers were lit and Moroccan flags waved.

The success of the Moroccans was also celebrated in many places in the Arab world, including in Palestine, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and Ramallah. There the victory of the Moroccans was celebrated with fireworks, cheers and the roar of powerful horns. In Morocco, the flag of Palestine was also seen again and again at the celebrations.

In Paris, too, many Moroccans celebrated the World Cup triumph on the Champs-Elysees, and there were also celebrations in Italy. They set off bangers and firecrackers, banged loud drums and waved the Moroccan flag in the streets and squares.

However, a 30-year-old was stabbed in the crowd and was taken to the hospital. Italian media reported that his condition was critical. In Bologna there were motorcades and horn concerts. Moroccans took to the streets in several towns in the northern Italian region of Liguria, home to a large Moroccan community.