Following riots that erupted in Brussels during Belgium’s game against Morocco, security officials are on alert this Thursday for another outburst of violence, according to Belgian media Le Soir.
The decision proceeds Morocco and Belgium’s decisive games to qualify for the World Cup round of 16.
“We will keep eyes on and remain vigilant from the beginning of the games with more police officers on the ground,” the spokesperson for the Brussels-Capital- Ixelles police zone, Ilse Van de keere told Le Soir.
Le Soir said a regional crisis center will coordinate all operations of the different police zones in the capital.
The police are taking the lead in advising shopkeepers to close earlier, said Belgian media RTL.
More recently, the Moroccan community in Brussels reportedly committed violent acts during Morocco’s game against Belgium, leading to several material losses.
Around 100 police officers were mobilized for this intervention and were pelted with projectiles. A surveillance helicopter flew over the city, said 20 minutes media outlet.
The police made a dozen administrative arrests and one judicial arrest, following the violent riots, reported Belgian media RTBF.
The Belgian police also find out after the investigations that one of the arrested was a minor, and was released right after, said the Belgian news agency.
Belgium’s Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden wrote on Twitter, “Sad to see how a few take advantage of the situation to cause a riot.”
“Thanks to our police forces who are doing everything they can to put an end to this, and who will do everything they can in the upcoming days to identify the rioters,” she continued in the same tweet.
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