14-Year-Old Boy Dies as Riots Break Out in France After Morocco Defeated in World Cup

PARIS, FRANCE - DECEMBER 15: Fans clash with police as fans of France celebrate victory af
Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Kurt Zindulka

A teenage boy was killed after being run over by a car during chaotic scenes in southern French city of Montpellier following France’s victory over Morocco in the World Cup.

UPDATE 12/15: More arrests announced, family of slain boy call for calm

According to the French Ministry of the Interior speaking to Le Figaro, a total of 266 people were arrested throughout the evening following the semi-finals match, including 145 arrests in Paris. A total of 10,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed throughout the country to deal with the aftermath of the match.

The family of the slain teenage boy, who has since been named as “Aymen”, appealed for calm in a statement relayed through the local Mayor’s office: “Aymen’s demise plunges us into a terrible ordeal. We express our gratitude to the countless messages of condolence. We call for the utmost calm and express our confidence in the institutions of the Republic, police and justice, so that the perpetrator is arrested and tried.”

Although the car in the incident that took the life of the 14-year-old boy has since been recovered, police have yet to announce any arrests in connection to the death.

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According to a statement from local officials, a 14-year-old boy died after being “violently hit this Wednesday evening in Montpellier by a driver, following the semi-final match of the football World Cup.” The boy was taken to the hospital, however, he died shortly after, Le Figaro reported.

Footage circulating on social media appeared to show the incident, in which a white car, with what looks to be a French flag was surrounded by a group of young men who try to grab the flag. Fleeing the crowd, the car is seen running over one of those surrounding, leaving the curled up body of a young man in its wake.

Earlier in the night, the city saw violent clashes break out between French and Moroccan supporters, after France won the World Cup semi-finals match by a score of 2-0.

Elsewhere across France, 115 people were arrested in the greater Paris area, including 101 in the capital city proper. The violence was somewhat muted in Paris, however, as the city mobilised some 2,200 police officers and gendarmes to prevent the outbreak of full-scale rioting.

A total of 14 people were arrested in Avignon as well, including eight people for the use of mortar fireworks. Chaotic scenes were also witnessed in Lyon, where police were attacked by youths in the city centre, resulting in seven arrests.

Conservative politician Eric Ciotti reported that violence had broken out in his home city of Nice as well, sharing footage of fires being set in the street. Claiming that there were fights, cars burned, and mortars thrown at police, Ciotti said that his city had been plunged into “urban guerrilla warfare”.

The violence was not limited to France, with footage on social media appearing to show Moroccan supporters clashing with police in the Belgian capital of Brussels, which was the cite of previous violence following the North African country’s victory over Belgium last month.

Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka

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