Sunday, the 27th of November, was the day when Morocco won the match against Belgium’s football team, and it led to riots in Brussels when fans hit the streets, writes Politico.
A quite violent celebration made authorities deploy special police forces to Brussels’ downtown, where they were met with resistance from fans, many of whom were covering their faces with hoodies. Rioters threw bottles and rocks, set at least one car on fire, and smashed up cars and rental scooters. Police used water cannons and tear gas to stop the disturbance.
Belgium has the Moroccan diaspora, consisting of around half a million people. Morocco’s victory was a major upset at the World Cup tournament and was celebrated exuberantly, but most of the celebrations by fans with Moroccan roots were peaceful.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said that violence is not the way to celebrate and that football should be a party. Rudi Vervoort, the minister-president of the Brussels Capital region’s government stated that this kind of behavior is a shame to real football fans.
Some disturbances happened also in the Belgian cities of Antwerp and Liège, and the Netherlands police said violence erupted in Rotterdam.
Riots sparked discussions on social networks about immigration and its consequences. Far-right party Vlaams Belang seized on the altercations to further its nationalist and anti-immigration agenda and mentioned that Belgians with Moroccan heritage are «free to leave» the country.
Brussel staat weer in brand. Deze rellen, vandalisme en brandstichtingen waren de voorbije week voorspeld en toch deed de overheid NIETS om dit te voorkomen. Is dit het strenge veiligheidsbeleid van paars-groen? Grijp in, spoor de relschoppers op en steek ze in de cel! #Brussel pic.twitter.com/hKTE1P1110
— Vlaams Belang (@vlbelang) November 27, 2022
Police reported that it has arrested at least ten persons.