Qatar 2022: Boy, 14, Killed After Morocco’s World Cup Loss To France

• Riots break out as football fans clash in Paris, Nice, Montpellier
• French police confirm one teenager died after being struck by vehicle
• Police deploy riot gear, water cannons, tear gas to quell unrest

On Wednesday night, shocking video footage hit social media of the moment a teenage boy was run down on the streets of Montpellier as Moroccan fans rioted following their country’s World Cup semi-final 0-2 loss to France inside the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.

The boy, 14, was part of a large group of what appeared to be Moroccan supporters marauding down Rue de la Mosson in the southern French city when they came upon a white hatchback with a French flag flying out of its window.

The group descended on the car, attempting to rip the flag away from its owner when the driver panicked and performed a hasty U-turn to cross into the oncoming lane and make a quick getaway.

Several members of the crowd could not react in time and the teenager was sucked under the wheels, sustaining critical injuries. Authorities confirmed he was transferred to a nearby hospital but later died.

The news broke out as riot police battled to maintain order with French and Moroccan football supporters clashing in cities across France and Belgium following the World Cup semi-finals encounter.

Reports said scenes from the southern French cities of Montpellier and Nice saw showed fans fighting in the streets, launching flares at one another and setting fire to rubbish bins in the streets while cops brandished batons and used water cannons to quell the unrest.

In Brussels, the Belgian capital, roughly 100 Moroccan fans gathered near Brussels South station, throwing fireworks and other objects at lines of police dressed in riot gear but dispersed quickly when tear gas was deployed.

Some 10,000 police officers in France and Belgium were gearing up for carnage on the streets on Wednesday night after Les Bleus dumped underdogs Morocco out of the World Cup. Around 2,200 officers, many of them equipped with riot gear were stationed in Paris alone with police vans and barricades lining the Champs-Elysees.

Morocco fans in France had been in a celebratory frenzy ever since their team went on its historic World Cup journey, becoming the first African and Arab team to reach the last four in the global showpiece event.

In some places, including the Champs-Elysees, the supporters clashed with police, destroying cars and shop windows after beating Portugal in the quarter-finals, while supporters ran riot in Brussels when their team defeated the Red Devils 2-0 in the group stage match.

Supporters poured into Paris’ freezing Champs-Elysees on Wednesday after a World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco which for millions tugged at the heartstrings, as ‘Les Bleus’ won 2-0 to reach the final for the second time in a row. They were flanked by hundreds of police trucks securing the area as fans let off fireworks.

Deeply enmeshed by their colonial bonds and post-war flows of migrant labour from North Africa to France, the two nations share a history that has shaped their identities and their politics and made for a sometimes edgy relationship.

France and Belgium are both home to a large Moroccan community, many of whom have dual citizenship. Last Saturday, when Morocco beat Portugal in the quarter-finals, 20,000 fans descended on the Champs-Elysees to celebrate the historic win but clashes broke out between supporters and riot police who fired tear gas, with 100 people arrested after shops were damaged and cars set alight.

In Belgium, police were forced to seal off parts of the capital and the port city of Antwerp while officers also deployed water cannons and fired tear gas to disperse crowds as violence broke out following Morocco’s 2-0 victory over the Red Devils in the group stage.

Dozens of rioters set steps on fire and threw bricks at cars, before riot cops moved in when one person suffered facial injuries, according to a police spokesperson. However, on Wednesday night, the police were more prepared, having lined the pavement of the Champs-Elysees with barricades and police vans.

“We preferred to come early because it will be chaos later on. We just want to celebrate our win and we can really feel it will get crazy”, said student Kerene Massuka who came with a friend carrying a French flag.

Crowds of supporters from both countries were seen entering the Christmas-decorated boulevard after the final whistle, where authorities were bracing for tens of thousands despite temperatures around 0 Celsius.

The stakes were high on both sides. The Atlas Lions had the unique chance at becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup final, while Les Blues are now poised to become the first team to retain their World Cup crown in 60 years on Sunday.

It was a close-fought match as Morocco overcame injury blows and showed no deference to France´s reputation, with their gallant effort adding to the glowing reputation they have earned at the tournament. – With agency reports