The joy after Morocco’s historic entry into the World Cup semi-finals is enormous. The “Lions of Atlas” are also celebrated outside the Arab world. Sometimes the spontaneous meetings escalate: there are arrests in the Netherlands and Belgium, and a fan is stabbed in Milan.
The Moroccan football fans were beside themselves after their team reached the World Cup semi-finals after beating Portugal 1-0 in Doha. Thousands celebrated on the streets of Casablanca and other cities across the country, proudly waving the flag. Again and again the supporters exuberantly shouted: “We are qualified!” For the first time an African team managed to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.
In Europe, too, there was great joy. In Paris, many Moroccans also celebrated the World Cup triumph on the Champs-Elysees, and the North Africans also celebrated in Italy. They set off bangers and firecrackers, banged loud drums and waved the Moroccan flag in the streets and squares. At a World Cup celebration in Milan, a 30-year-old man was stabbed in the crowd and taken to the hospital. The fan reportedly tried to settle a dispute. The Italian media said his condition was critical. In Bologna there were motorcades and horn concerts. Moroccans took to the streets in several towns in the northern Italian region of Liguria, home to a large Moroccan community.
Meanwhile, some victory celebrations in major Dutch cities escalated. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, the riot police arrived on Saturday evening to keep the streets in order. In Amsterdam, police reported multiple arrests after fans set off heavy firecrackers. The crowd was asked to clear an area. According to the police, there were also arrests in Rotterdam, and a central square was cleared by the riot police. The police in Utrecht reported property damage.
During riots in Brussels, the police arrested 60 people. As the Belgian news agency Belga reported on Sunday night, citing a police spokeswoman, revelers massively used pyrotechnics after the 1-0 win over Portugal. Small groups threw objects at the police officers. Initially, the celebrations began peacefully, but then the mood changed, Belga reported. During previous North African victories, there had been riots in Brussels by supporters of Morocco.
In Germany, too, many fans celebrated that an African team had reached the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time. A huge crowd had gathered in downtown Düsseldorf, a dpa photographer estimated more than 2,000 fans. Firecrackers and bengalos were lit, smoke lay over the area inhabited by many North Africans. Numerous police officers were on duty.
Things were quieter in Dortmund and Essen. According to a police spokesman, around 300 football fans celebrated in downtown Essen. “Pyrotechnics were also ignited, but overall everything remained peaceful,” said the spokesman in the evening. In Dortmund, a motorcade drove through the city with a horn concert. Bengalos and firecrackers were lit and Moroccan flags waved. According to the police, up to 500 people celebrated in high spirits in Hamm. “There was an exuberant party atmosphere throughout – there was music, dancing and peaceful celebrations. There were no crimes,” was the police report.
Thousands of fans celebrated the surprise victory of the Moroccan team in Frankfurt. “Up to 4,000 people were there at the top,” said a police spokesman on Saturday evening. Occasionally fireworks were set off. “But everything remained peaceful.” Also in Darmstadt and Rüsselsheim there were spontaneous meetings of fans of the Moroccan team, as the police headquarters in southern Hesse announced. In Darmstadt, around 500 people celebrated on the streets and with motorcades. Around 700 people met in Rüsselsheim. Firecrackers were thrown and pyrotechnics ignited. No one was injured, police said.
Morocco itself was in a frenzy, with the final whistle the jubilee celebrations beginning in the kingdom. In Casablanca, the red flags with the green star were everywhere in the windows of the houses, in the markets and the stalls. The success of the Moroccans has been celebrated in many places in the Arab world, including in Palestine, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and Ramallah. There the victory of the Moroccans was celebrated with fireworks, cheers and the roar of powerful horns. In Morocco, the flag of Palestine was also seen again and again at the celebrations.