2022 FIFA World Cup

Police Use Tear Gas Against Football Fans Due to Clashes in Belgium, France

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Violent clashes broke out between French and Moroccan football fans on Wednesday after the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinal match in Qatar, with the French and Belgium police using tear gas and water canons and detaining fans, local media reported.
Sputnik
On Wednesday, the French national football team defeated the Moroccan squad 2-0 in the second semifinal match of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. On December 18, the French team will face the team of Argentina in the final match of the cup. On December 17, Morocco will play against Croatia in a match for the bronze.
Belgian newspaper LeSoir reported that police used tear gas and water cannons after football fans started throwing firecrackers and launching fireworks at police officers. Police started detaining fans.
French newspaper Le Figaro reported that clashes broke out between French and Moroccan fans in France's city of Nice after hooded men started shouting "Arabs out" and "we are home" to the Moroccan fans. Both sides started throwing firecrackers at each other.
The French police also used tear gas against fans in the city of Lyon, Le Monde newspaper reported.
Clashes between police and fans also broke out on the Champs-Elysees in the French capital Paris, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported. At first, fans were celebrating peacefully by launching fireworks and firecrackers and singing songs.
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Several police units arrived at the site a few hours before the match and were controlling the area. However, after midnight, fans began throwing bottles and firecrackers at the police, prompting police officers to use force. Law enforcers used rubber bullets to disperse the crowd in some streets adjacent to the Champs-Elysees.
The Midi Libre Montpeiller newspaper reported that the police also used tear gas against fans in the French city of Montpellier to disperse the crowd.
Le Figaro reported, citing France's police, that over 100 people were detained during clashes.
A group of 40 armed people headed to the Champs-Elysees were detained by the police for carrying weapons illegally, Agence France-Presse reported, citing a police source.
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