Public unrest occurred in parts of London late on Thursday night following Morocco‘s elimination from the FIFA World Cup after a match against France. Reports from Edgware Road in northwest London showed police clashing with large crowds, with smoke visible and debris on the roadway. This came after France defeated Morocco 2-0.
Scores of officers, some in riot gear, were present at the scene, forming a line across the road to restore order. During the clashes, bottles were thrown at police and fireworks were launched. One officer sustained head injuries after being struck by a glass bottle and was taken to hospital. Footage showed a police officer on the ground being treated by paramedics, with two riot vans blocking the view.
Clashes and arrests on Edgware Road
The incident began when a group of people gathered in the road, blocking traffic. The situation escalated, leading to the deployment of additional officers. Authorities stated that they would not tolerate such disorder or attacks on their officers. A police presence was maintained in the area overnight, and CCTV and social media footage are being reviewed to identify those responsible.
Four arrests were made for violent disorder. The group eventually dispersed, and the road was reopened around 01:00hrs. Social media footage showed hundreds of supporters waving flags and chanting as they moved onto the busy road. The scenes of celebration reportedly turned into disorder as police attempted to disperse the large crowds.
Fans were observed waving Morocco flags in the middle of the streets, causing traffic delays. Some individuals were also seen jumping on top of vehicles attempting to pass through the area. Similar scenes had previously unfolded after Egypt‘s World Cup exit.
Contrasting scenes in Paris
The unrest in London occurred despite fears that riots might break out in Paris after the Morocco and France game. A security memo in France had warned of potential trouble, referencing violence that followed Paris Saint-Germain‘s Championship win in May. Over 20,000 police officers were deployed across France, with 8,000 in Paris alone.
However, reports indicated that France‘s capital remained peaceful, with jubilant fans celebrating in the streets. Supporters of both France and Morocco were seen flooding the streets, slowing traffic in various parts of the city. One video depicted cars on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris with horns blasting and displaying France and Morocco flags, with supporters on the roadside joining the celebration.
In the match, France‘s Kylian Mbappé scored his eighth goal of this World Cup, matching Argentina‘s Lionel Messi for the most. Ousmane Dembélé also scored in the second half for France, contributing to their 2-0 victory over Morocco. This marked France‘s third consecutive appearance in the semifinals.
Morocco, despite the loss, achieved a historical milestone by becoming the first African country to reach the quarterfinals and semifinals in World Cup history. Morocco‘s exit signifies that no African nations remain in the World Cup. France is set to play the winner of the match between Spain and Belgium, while other quarterfinal matches include England against Norway and Argentina against Switzerland.
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Source: standard.co.uk
Dominic Hayes is the Sports News Writer at NewsGB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with five years of reporting experience. He started on a north-east sports desk. He holds a degree in Journalism from Teesside University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Middlesbrough, he follows pro golf and amateur boxing. “Fast and accurate is the only standard worth keeping.”
