London police officer injured as riots erupt after France defeats Morocco in World Cup

Following France’s 2‑0 victory over Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter‑final, violent disorder broke out in several European cities. In London’s Edgware Road, a police officer was struck on the head by a glass bottle and taken to hospital while four people were arrested for violent disorder. Police deployed riot units and used shields and batons to restore order, and the incident was captured on social‑media video.

Similar disturbances were reported in Paris, where thousands of officers were on duty and clashes, fireworks and vandalism were recorded despite the largely peaceful celebrations; in the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague) and Belgium (Brussels) police also faced bottle‑throwing, fireworks and arrests. Antisemitic chants such as “All Jews are …” were heard in The Hague. German authorities recorded injuries to three officers in Düsseldorf. Overall, more than a dozen arrests were made across the affected cities and dozens of police officers were deployed to prevent further escalation.

The unrest highlighted concerns over crowd management for diaspora communities watching the tournament outside the host nations and prompted authorities to promise a review of CCTV footage and stricter prosecution of those involved.