Hundreds of people took to the streets in The Hague, Amsterdam and Rotterdam on Thursday evening to celebrate Morocco’s victory over Canada at the World Cup. In The Hague, the atmosphere became grim and the riot police had to intervene. Six arrests were made, and one officer was also injured. The Mercatorplein in Amsterdam had to be evacuated.
In the Schilderswijk, parties were mainly celebrated at the Stortenbekerstraat, a side street of the Vaillantlaan. This is an important traffic artery in the district. In the neighborhood of The Hague, where many Moroccans live, people drove around with cars and scooters. Honking cars blocked the intersection. Decorative fireworks were also fired and flares were waved.
The police in The Hague announced in the course of the evening that peace has returned after the ME has walked across the Vaillantlaan. No charges were carried out, they say. The ME came out of the vans after heavy fireworks were thrown and the party threatened to turn. There are still some groups here and there, but the image is calm, according to the police.
Mercator Square
Amsterdam’s Mercatorplein was swept clean in the course of the evening. There were many cops and riot police on the scene. Heavy fireworks were set off and the police urged everyone to leave. The riot police walked across the square with long batons and dogs after people did not leave.
Earlier, the Amsterdam police announced that visible and invisible measures have been taken to prevent riots from arising again after a World Cup match in Morocco. Mayor Femke Halsema announced that the Mercatorplein, Plein ’40-’45 and part of the Burgemeester de Vlugtlaan have been designated as security risk areas, so that the police have more powers to act.
Rotterdam
At the Kruisplein in the center of Rotterdam, near the Central Station, there is traffic pressure and nuisance due to partying football supporters after the Morocco-Canada World Cup match, the police reported. “There are several deposits. We advise to choose a different route as much as possible.”
The biggest crowds were over around 7:30 PM. Public transport company RET reports that trams are blocked and that travelers must take extra travel time into account. Trams 4, 7, 8, 23, 24 and 25 are blocked.
The police are present with many police vans and a single riot bus. These can be seen at strategic places throughout the city, including the Coolsingel, where the town hall is also located. It was quiet at the Coolsingel for the time being.
Measures taken
The mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, had taken many measures in advance to prevent the party from turning into riots. For example, neighborhood fathers, youth workers, street coaches and neighborhood prevention teams were called in to keep the peace, Van Zanen said earlier. The busy intersections will also be closed to traffic more quickly to prevent nuisance from scooter riders in particular. “If necessary, we can act quickly to de-escalate,” the mayor wrote.
After Sunday’s match, which Morocco won, about five hundred football supporters took to the streets in Amsterdam-West, including on Mercatorplein. However, the party soon turned into riots. For example, heavy fireworks were set off, traffic signs and windows of a flower stall and supermarket had to suffer and several fires started. A shared car was set on fire.
Strict action will now be taken against this, Halsema warns. The establishment of a security risk area “means that the police, when there are heavy fireworks or a strong indication thereof, or weapons, or things are destroyed, the police may act at an early stage.” But the mayor also emphasized: “Partying on the street is allowed and is part of a football tournament like the World Cup.”