Football fans rioted in Belgium and the Netherlands over the weekend after a pivotal World Cup match – and videos shared on social media show just how dangerous they became.
Morocco surprised football enthusiasts everywhere when it beat the Belgian team 2-0 on Sunday, with the first goal coming in the 73rd minute.
It was a blow for Belgium, as the team now needs to win against Croatia in their final group match to make it into the knockout stages of the tournament.
But, events then escalated in Europe, as aggressive crowds in the Belgian capital Brussels had to be dispersed by police using water cannons and tear gas.
Parts of the city had to be sealed off in a bid to break people up, while subways and tram traffic were halted. Rioters were throwing bricks too, with cars being overturned and torched, as fires were started in the street.
Brussels police have since reported that one person suffered from facial injuries, and the mayor of the city Philippe Close, called for fans to stay away from the city centre.
Close said: “Those are not fans, they are rioters. Moroccan fans are there to celebrate.”
The Belgian interior minister Annelies Verlinden said: “Sad to see how a few individuals abuse a situation to run amok.”
Around 12 people were arrested in Brussels, with an additional eight held in Antwerp.
Over in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, two police officials were injured, and a group of 500 football fans threw fireworks and glass at the police.
Further protests were recorded in Amsterdam and The Hague too.
By late Sunday evening, most of the riots had subsided – but the videos from social media show just how far things escalated during the day:
Police sealed off parts of the centre of Brussels, deployed water cannons and fired tear gas to disperse crowds following violence during and after Morocco beat Belgium in #FIFAWorldCup
?: https://t.co/aR9L2Y4VWopic.twitter.com/lFaJcWJrGe
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) November 27, 2022
