Fireworks and firecrackers were set off, trash cans were set on fire and entire streets looked like an area out of control.
The streets of Brussels, the capital of Belgium, looked like a battlefield this week, with severe riots that broke out after the soccer match between Morocco and Zambia in the African Nations Championship. Morocco won the match 3-0, finished first at home and qualified for the next round, but Monday night’s victory celebrations in parts of the city quickly descended into violence and disorder.
According to the police, about 200 people gathered at around 10:00 PM in the Etan Noir neighborhood in Molenbeek, a suburb of the Belgian capital. At first the atmosphere was festive, but later unusual events began. Objects were set on fire, fireworks were set off dangerously, and trash cans were set on fire. Videos circulated on social media showed rioters shooting fireworks horizontally, climbing on top of vehicles and setting fires in public spaces.
A spokesman for the Brussels West police said that police forces intervened to restore order, with the help of other police areas in the city. Calm returned to the area shortly after midnight. During the events, one person was arrested in administrative detention, and the police filed reports for arson and illegal use of fireworks. The investigation continues, among other things using security camera footage, with the aim of locating more people involved.
The Brussels fire services were also called into action. A spokesman for the local fire and rescue forces said they dealt with eight outdoor fire centers throughout the area during that evening. No injuries were reported.
“It’s not even Rosh Hashanah, it’s because Morocco won the African Championship,” he wrote on the X network Tom van Grieken, head of the right-wing party in the Flemish parliament. “Every opportunity is used to terrorize public spaces. Why aren’t law and order returned to our streets? Why aren’t the police deployed en masse?”
The authorities emphasized that they were prepared in advance for the possibility of disturbances surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations games, which are held in Morocco and have no direct connection to Belgium. The police stated that before every game a risk assessment is carried out, and according to it the security arrangements and preventive actions are determined. According to them, special measures are taken throughout the tournament period.
At the same time, even before the games, the Flemish transport company De Line decided to change the routes of certain bus lines in Brussels and the suburbs on Friday and last Monday in the evening hours. The buses were mainly avoided from areas in the north of the city, including Gare du Nord, Lacan and Molenbeek.
The decision was made due to fear of riots during and after the games, and based on violent incidents that happened, for example, after a match between Belgium and Morocco three years ago during the World Cup in Qatar. The company explained that these are “limited precautionary measures” intended to protect the passengers, the fleet and the employees.