Riots in Brussels after Morocco’s football team defeats Belgium in world cup match

Africa, Europe, News November 28, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Riots broke out in the Belgian capital as well as several other cities after Morocco’s 2-0 win over Belgium at the FIFA World Cup match on November 27, 2022.

Police have detained several rioters and deployed water cannons at several locations throughout Brussels to control the situation. Police also fired tear cannons on the raging fans in order to disperse the crowds in Brussels as well as several other cities including the Northern city of Antwerp.

Similar riots and public anger were also reported from the neighboring country of the Netherlands over the upsetting match result. The riots erupted in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam after the match results. At least two police officials were injured.

Dozens of rioters in Brussels overturned and torched cars, set electric scooters on fire, and pelted cars with bricks. Police moved in after one person suffered facial injuries, said Brussels police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere. “Sad to see how a few individuals abuse a situation to run amok,” said Belgium’s Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden.

Brussels mayor Philippe Close urged people to stay away from the city center and said authorities were doing their utmost to keep order in the streets. Subway, trams, and traffic were severely affected by the riots while public transport had to be interrupted on police orders. The law enforcement agencies kept trying to calm down the situation until late at night.

*^{Chaos broke out on the streets of Brussels during the Belgium and Morocco match. (Image Credit: AP/via TheSun)}*

Mayor of Brussels Philippe Close said on Twitter that “I condemn in the strongest terms the incidents of this afternoon. The police have already firmly intervened. I, therefore, advise against fans coming to the city center. The police are doing all they can to maintain public order. I have ordered the police to carry out arrests of the troublemakers.”

Morocco’s victory against the tournament favorite is being termed as a major upset at the FIFA 2022 world cup in Qatar. The victory was enthusiastically celebrated by fans with Moroccan immigrant roots in many Belgian and Dutch cities.

Some videos circulating on social media show Moroccan supporters wearing and waving flags as they ran down the street. The situation turned violent when the two groups came across each other and started to subject violent attacks on each other leading to riots.

^{Morocco’s supporters celebrate their team’s victory after the live broadcast of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group F football match between Belgium and Morocco, in Brussels, on November 27, 2022. (Image Credit: AFP)}

Reports also say some 50 people attacked the Liege Droixhe police station in Brussels downtown in the wake of the match, smashing windows and damaging police vehicles. Some shops were also reportedly destroyed by the violent rioters.

Nearly 20 percent of Belgium’s population, more than 11.5 million, people are of foreign origin with roughly 500,000 people of Moroccan descent. They make up the country’s largest non-EU population and one of the largest Moroccan diasporas. Back in 2017, more than 20 police officers were injured in Brussels when celebrations over Morocco’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup turned violent.