Moroccan Fans Riot Across Italy and France After World Cup Win

PARIS, FRANCE - DECEMBER 06: Moroccan supporters celebrate victory as Morocco qualified fo
Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Chris Tomlinson

Fans of the Moroccan national football team rioted in France and Italy on Tuesday night, attacking police, setting off fireworks, and smashing objects in several cities.

Hundreds of Morocco fans took to the streets of the French city of Avignon on Tuesday evening after the Moroccan men’s football team reach the world cup quarter-finals for the first time in Qatar, beating Spain on penalties.

While initially, the crowds were peaceful, tensions arose around 8:30 pm when a group of youths attempted to loot a truck that was passing by. Police officers also deployed tear gas when smaller groups approached a local police station, La Provence reports.

Youths then began smashing up local shop windows, with two businesses, a shop that buys and sells gold and an insurance agency, looted by the rioters. One suspected was arrested while in one of the shops, while others were arrested for throwing projectiles at officers.

Morocco fans also gathered at the Place Bellecour in Lyon where they let off fireworks and were initially peaceful but ended up blocking roads and manhandling a local motorist.

According to conservative French politician Eric Ciotti, Morocco fans attacked police and set cars on fire in Nice.

“Are we still in France? Tram blocked and rocked, police attacked and cars burned, this is the result of Morocco’s victory in the streets of Nice! Zero tolerance against these criminals who defy our laws!” Ciotti wrote on Twitter, posting a video of the rioting.

In the northern Italian city of Milan, a crowd of Morocco supporters gathered at the Piazza Gae Aulenti where a handful of the crowd targetted and vandalised various objects on the street.

Populist League leader and Italian Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini commented on videos of the rioting saying, “Morocco eliminates Spain, so they ‘celebrate’ in Milan … I hope those responsible will be identified and repay all damages.”

In Verona, meanwhile, Moroccan fans who were celebrating the historic victory of their team were attacked by a group of alleged far-right activists. According to the newspaper Il Giornale, the group of men were dressed in black hoods and scarves and attacked fans with batons and chains as they drove by in their vehicles.

As videos of the attacks spread online, police were able to identify 13 people involved in the incident, arresting them all hours later and claiming they had ties to local far-right groups.

Tuesday night’s riots come just over a week since Moroccans in Brussels rioted after their team beat Belgium in the World Cup, flipping vehicles and setting electric scooters on fire.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.

 

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