Fans of Morocco’s national soccer team rampaged through cities in Belgium hours after the team defeated the Belgian national team in the World Cup on Sunday.
Members of the riotous mob marched through city streets with Moroccan flags, just hours after the Moroccan soccer team’s victory.
Morocco defeated Belgium 2-0 in Qatar’s World Cup, with the victory considered an unexpected upset.
A mob in Brussels appeared to overwhelm a truck trailer the evening of the match, eventually flipping the trailer on its side. The riots were at their most intense in Brussels, the capital city of the European Union.
It’s not over yet in #Brussels. 🇧🇪🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/srCdo6bdlZ
— Yassin Akouh (@Yassin_Akouh) November 27, 2022
Fans carrying Berber and Moroccan flags detonated fireworks, overturned cars and took over city streets in Brussels following the soccer upset.
Colonized Brussels: Moroccan Migrants Celebrate Their Team’s World Cup Victory Over Belgium with Riots
One-third of the country’s population is of foreign origin; in Brussels, Belgians are the minority.
See Videos: https://t.co/wNPpY2P7ge pic.twitter.com/7x7n22UnsW
— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) November 27, 2022
Have you been watching the World Cup?
Yes: 0% (0 Votes)
No: 100% (9 Votes)
Between 400,000 and 500,000 Moroccans live in Belgium, and the contest between Morocco and their host country played upon split loyalties in the immigrant group, according to the BBC.
Authorities made a dozen arrests in response to the riots, according to Reuters.
Belgian police claimed that “rioters used pyrotechnic material, projectiles, sticks, and set fire on the public highway” according to The Blaze.
Riots also broke out in Dutch cities, such as Amsterdam.
#BREAKING: Riots and unrest in the dutch cities of Rotterdam, Hague and Amsterdam following Morocco’s world cup win against Belgium pic.twitter.com/6Hcy3E3roB
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) November 27, 2022
One man carrying a Moroccan flag during the disturbance was filmed admonishing other Moroccans for acts of violence.
“This is not how Muslims should act.”
A Moroccan man calmed down some of the rioters and bystanders in Brussels following violence.
Riots erupted in the heart of Brussels and several other Belgian cities on Sunday after Belgium was upset by Morocco, 2-0, at the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/ZvxNQ2Tuks
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) November 30, 2022
“Moroccans are not like this,” the man said, according to a translation on the video.
“This is the car of someone,” the individual said, pointing out a destroyed vehicle.
“Shame on you. Look at our players, they honored Morocco.”
