Translated material
Fans of the Moroccan national team rioted in Brussels. More than 20 police officers were injured
More than 20 police officers were injured during riots staged by fans of the Moroccan football team in Brussels.
The unrest began after the Moroccan national team beat Cote dʼIvoire 2-0 on November 11 and secured participation in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
About 300 people took to the streets of Brussels to celebrate the team's victory. They smashed windows and looted shops, threw stones at police officers, and set fire to at least one car, Belgian authorities said. The police had to use water cannons against the rioters.
Belgian Interior Minister Jan Yamon called the incident "unacceptable aggression in the center of Brussels."
In the Netherlands, groups of Moroccan fans also celebrated the team's victory in the streets. In some cases, the celebrations turned into riots. Thus, The Hague police reported that fans threw various objects at law enforcement officers (English).
- Belgium has the largest proportion of people of Moroccan origin among European countries - 4% of the population.
- The Moroccan national team last time participated in the World Cup in 1998. Then the team did not leave the group.