Moroccan national team fans riot in Brussels (Twitter)
Many countries and cities around the Arab world celebrated last night (Tuesday) the surprising qualification of the Moroccan team to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, but in Western Europe they did not really enjoy it.
In countries where there is a high concentration of immigrants from Morocco, serious disturbances, clashes with the police, arrests and violent incidents were recorded yesterday.
The videos that surfaced on social networks and YouTube revealed a reality that is more reminiscent of a war zone than celebrations after a football game.
In the Netherlands, for example, Moroccan immigrants took to the streets of The Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht, obstructed traffic, blocked streets, disrupted public order and confronted the police who tried to disperse them.
The celebrants lit flares and smoke grenades and alongside Moroccan flags, many Palestinian flags also appeared.
In Rotterdam, 35 people were arrested and in Amsterdam, the police issued a statement: "We ask those who violate the order to return to their homes and celebrate there. Everyone must leave the Market Square and be attentive to our warnings. We will act against the criminals."
In The Hague, the revelers who saw the police approaching, threw flares and fireworks at them.
Similar events were also recorded in Spain, France and Belgium.
This morning the Brussels police announced that they detained 114 people and arrested five more.
The forces were forced to use measures to suppress demonstrations such as water cannons, stun grenades and tear gas.
Some "fans" of Morocco set fire to a trash can - just like in violent protests, others jumped on cars and tried to break windows, another fan was arrested with a Taser.
Moroccan national team fans riot in Brussels (Twitter)Moroccan national team fans riot in Belgium (Twitter)Moroccan national team fans riot in Madrid (Twitter)Moroccan national team fans riot in Lille, France (Reuters)
A man stole the phone of a woman who was filming the riots in Madrid
These riots are a direct continuation of those from last week.
In the major cities of Belgium, severe clashes were held for several hours between the police and the revelers after Morocco defeated Belgium in the group stage.
On Saturday at 17:00 Israel time, Morocco will play against Portugal in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
In cities where there is a high concentration of immigrants from Morocco, the police are already preparing with increased forces.
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