A police officer sustained injuries, and multiple arrests occurred in London on Thursday night following France’s 2-0 victory against Morocco in a World Cup quarter-final held in Boston. Tensions escalated as police and fans clashed on Edgware Road.
Videos circulating on social media depict scenes of chaos, including flares being ignited and objects hurled at law enforcement in the streets of London. The Metropolitan Police reported that four individuals were arrested for violent disorder, and one officer was hospitalized due to a head injury caused by a glass bottle.
“One officer was taken to hospital for head injuries; it is believed he had been hit by a glass bottle. No other injuries were reported. Officers remained in the area and made four arrests for violent disorder, with the group dispersing and the road reopened from around 1am.
“Officers were initially called after a group of people congregated in the road and blocked traffic. The incident then escalated with the group throwing bottles and setting off fireworks. As a result, further officers were deployed to the area. “One officer was taken to hospital for head injuries; it is believed he had been hit by a glass bottle. No other injuries were reported. Officers remained in the area and made four arrests for violent disorder, with the group dispersing and the road reopened from around 1am. “We will not tolerate such disorder on our streets, or attacks on our officers … we will be reviewing CCTV and video footage circulating on social media to ensure all those responsible are brought to justice.”
The UK Football Policing Unit noted that 223 incidents related to the England-Mexico match in the early hours of Monday were documented across England and Wales. Among these, there were six hate crime incidents and 32 domestic abuse occurrences, along with 42 arrests linked to England’s dramatic win, for which pubs were permitted to serve until 5am.
In a separate incident in France, a 17-year-old girl tragically fell from a truck and died while celebrating her country’s victory over Morocco, according to emergency services. They reported that she “fell and was run over” by the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene in Aulnoye-Aymeries, near Maubeuge.
The truck’s driver has been taken into custody, and another teenager, who witnessed the fall, was hospitalized due to shock, according to authorities.
Following the match, celebrations broke out across France, with hundreds of fans dancing in the streets of Paris, all under the watchful eyes of thousands of police officers assigned for security duties.
