A police officer was injured during riots in London after France's victory over Morocco at the World Cup, while Paris celebrated peacefully
Kyiv • UNN
In London, after France's victory over Morocco, clashes between fans and police occurred. One police officer sustained a head injury from a glass bottle, and four people were arrested for participating in the riots.
A police officer was injured and several people were arrested after riots in London, UK, on Thursday evening following France's 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinal in Boston, USA, The Guardian reports, writes UNN.
Details
Clashes between police and fans occurred on Edgware Road.
Social media videos appear to show flares being set off and various objects thrown at police in the middle of a London street. The Metropolitan Police said four people were arrested for rioting and one officer was taken to hospital with a head injury after being hit by a glass bottle.
Police said: "Police were initially called after a group of people gathered on the road and blocked traffic. The incident then escalated, with the group beginning to throw bottles and set off fireworks. As a result, additional police officers were deployed to the area."
One police officer was taken to hospital with a head injury; it is believed he was hit by a glass bottle. No other injuries were reported. Police remained in the area and made four arrests for violent disorder, after which the group dispersed and the road was reopened around 1 a.m. local time.
"We will not tolerate such disorder on our streets or attacks on our police officers... we will review CCTV footage and video material circulating on social media to ensure all those responsible are held accountable," police said.
The UK Football Policing Unit reported that 223 incidents were recorded in England and Wales related to the England-Mexico match in the early hours of Monday. Six hate crimes and 32 domestic violence incidents were recorded, and 42 arrests were made related to England's dramatic victory, after which pubs were allowed to continue serving until 5 a.m.
In France, a 17-year-old girl fell from a truck and died while celebrating the victory over Morocco, emergency services reported. According to them, she "fell and was struck" by the vehicle and died at the scene in Aulnoye-Aymeries, near the northern city of Maubeuge.
The truck driver was detained, and another teenager who witnessed the fall was taken to hospital in shock, authorities said.
After the victory, celebrations erupted across France: hundreds of people danced in the streets of Paris under the watch of thousands of police officers ensuring security.
As The Sun writes, Parisian police flooded the streets ahead of an extremely tense match between France and Morocco at the World Cup, amid expectations of unrest regardless of the result. More than 20,000 police officers were deployed across France, including 8,000 along the streets of Paris.
"Many expected the French capital to erupt in violence on Thursday evening, regardless of the result, but it seems instead it happened in the British capital," notes The Sun. "The French capital remained peaceful, with joyful fans flooding the streets in a massive celebration."
On the Champs-Élysées, horns sounded as fans proudly waved the country's flag from cars and on the roofs of mopeds.
Paris turned into a giant fan zone after authorities decided to make two districts pedestrian-only.
According to Le Parisien, Paris peacefully celebrated the victory of the French team, with only about ten people arrested in the inner suburbs.
"The evening turned into a celebration... without any disturbances," the publication states.
According to a preliminary report provided by the Paris police prefecture to Le Parisien this Friday morning, police made only about ten arrests.
They are linked to "thefts of fans' phones," "violence with weapons and groups formed to commit violence or cause damage," or even "mortar attacks on police officers" that occurred in Seine-Saint-Denis.