Thousands of fans of the team from the North African country took to the streets and squares of several Spanish cities to celebrate the victory
Thousands of people celebrated Morocco’s penalty kick victory over Spain at the World Cup in Qatar this Tuesday with concentrations in several Spanish cities. It was a festive atmosphere of celebration, in which there were small altercations, given the swift intervention of the security forces, who had prepared a preventive device for after the meeting between Spain and Morocco.
After the completion of the North African team’s standings for the quarter-finals, around 7 p.m., some 500 people visited Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, according to the government delegation to Europa Press. The fans, with flags and jerseys of their choice, coincided there with the influx of tourists who nowadays visit the capital to see the Christmas lights and shop.
Las Ramblas in Barcelona was also the scene of the Moroccan fans’ celebration. Once again, the flags of the Mabrebian country and the shirts of their national team streamed over the boulebar in front of the gazes of Barcelonans and tourists.
Melilla, Almería, Valencia, Granada, Seville or Cádiz, among other cities, also hosted the celebrations of the Moroccan fans, who celebrated their historic pass to the quarter-finals as if it were a title.
From restaurant to street
The dozens of customers at the Jawhara restaurant, in the heart of San Francisco’s Bilbao neighborhood, began jumping, screaming and dancing shortly after 6:45 p.m. His team, Morocco, had defeated Spain, one of the favourites, against all odds in a penalty shootout. And all Jawhara patrons poured onto 2 de Mayo Street, where dozens of fans were already waiting with torches and firecrackers to celebrate a “historic” victory for the North African team. There were also some incidents, but overall the festive atmosphere prevailed.
The celebration of the fans of the Moroccan team took place amid a large police deployment. The Ertzaintza and the municipal police organized a special joint security apparatus. They mobilized numerous agents who had a week off and designed an operation that, in the case of Bilbao, targeted the San Francisco neighborhood.
Concerns about possible incidents have increased due to the disturbances that have taken place in several European cities during the World Cup matches. Police analysts were particularly concerned after what happened during the meeting between Belgium and Morocco. The Maghrebi team won the duel and soon after, groups of youths took to the streets and caused fights.
One night in Brussels, cars were burned and overturned and street furniture set on fire, resulting in a dozen arrests. It was not the only city where incidents were recorded. Riots also broke out in Amsterdam and The Hague. Under these circumstances, concern was at its maximum. The Ertzaintza and the local police carried out a special security device.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
