Rabat – The police department in Casablanca on Monday opened yet another investigation into violent riots that were caused by football fans.
The news comes one day after violent clashes between two rival football clubs Raja and Wydad terrorized residents of the Bernoussi neighborhood in Casablanca.
Police reports indicate that a police patrol intervened to prevent violent clashes between the two rival groups of ultras in Bernoussi, specifying that one of the groups refused to comply. One of the reluctant group’s members attempted to assault police officers using smoke bombs, noted the reports.
The individual was subdued, but his companions tried to assault the police officers in escape arrest, forcing one police officer to use his service weapon and fire several warning shots to restore order.
On the same night, police arrested nine individuals suspected of being involved in the riots. The clash between police forces and rioters resulted in the injury of two suspects and one police officer.
The two suspects and the police officer were transferred to the hospital for necessary treatment, while the other individuals involved were subjected to an investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the violent riots and apprehend the suspects involved in the incident.
On Monday night, the streets of Bernoussi descended into chaos as fans of Wydad and Raja clashed. The incident started following a training session of Wydad, where fans were allowed to attend to cheer for their team.
Wydad fans were marching the streets of Bernoussi – a neighborhood known to have a high concentration of Raja fans – on their way out of the training session where allegedly they initiated the fights by insulting fans of Raja.
Videos widely shared on social media show the streets of Bernoussi covered in red smoke as fans used fireworks in their violent clashes.
Many netizens took to social media to decry what they described as a “night of terror” as the violent clashes resulted in property damage in addition to an unknown number of injuries among fans.
Read Also: With Football’s Return, Hooliganism and Violence Rears Its Ugly Head
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