Little partying but also no riots after Morocco-Croatia: “Third place would have been nice, but fourth place is unprecedented”
Croatia defeated Morocco to take third place at the World Cup in Qatar. Although Morocco is lost on Saturday, there is still some celebration in Brussels and Antwerp. But from scenes like the past few days there will be no conversation on Saturday evening.
Source: Own reporting, Belgium
It remained remarkably quiet on the Lemonnierlaan in Brussels after the game. In the cafes there were few people to watch the “small finale”. Supporters only came to watch the last match of the Moroccan national team in café Tetouan. The smallest, according to our reporter, immediately went home after the match, but with a proud feeling. “We are proud of our team. We would have preferred to be third, but a fourth place is unprecedented”, it sounded on Saturday evening.
After the game, about 50 young people came to the Lemonnierlaan to celebrate one last time. That they did with fireworks but also with flags and drums. The green vests, who used to be a human wall, were also present but seemed to fraternize with the young people rather than form a human wall. There is no discussion of a folk festival on Saturday evening, but the riots that will not be forthcoming for the time being. Around 6:40 pm, Boulevard Lemonier was even reopened to traffic.
“No arrests have been made and no incidents have been reported in the area of the Brussels-Capital Region,” said the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone.
“After the game, there were about a hundred people on Avenue Lemonnier, and thanks to the presence of the ‘green vests’ (volunteers present among the revelers, ed.) everything remained calm. Traffic was restored around 6:45 p.m.,” said Ilse Van de Keere, spokeswoman for the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone.
Fire arrow detects vehicle
There were also celebrations in Antwerp, although that was also limited. Above the Turnhoutsebaan in Antwerp, the sky turned green and red on Saturday evening, a tribute to the Lions of the Atlas. The police had to intervene after a vehicle was hit by a flare.
Everything will remain calm on the Kiel for the time being. The neighborhood fathers and volunteers present have no work. There is also no honking of cheers in the street, trams and buses can just pass. “We are proud of this World Cup. The players will also be welcomed in Morocco,” says Brahim of organization Saamo.
“All in all, it has remained very quiet, there was a positive atmosphere and there have been no further significant incidents,” the Antwerp police said. In the end, three young people, one of whom was a minor, were arrested on the Turnhoutsebaan. The young people on Sint-Bernardsesteenweg were only checked and one minor was dropped off at home by the police.