A 14-year-old boy was killed in Montpellier in France after French and Moroccan fans clashed in violent scenes following the World Cup semifinal clash on Wednesday. According to a statement from the local administration office, the boy was killed during the clash after being "violently hit" by a car.
He was taken to the hospital, according to the Department of Herault, but died sometime later. France secured a spot in Sunday's finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco and put an end to the African team's incredible run all the way through the knockout rounds. However, the outcome led to riots in many regions of France, including revolting events that were captured on camera in Montpellier.
Innocent Fan Killed
The boy was part of a large group of people who appeared to be Moroccan supporters when they came across a white hatchback with a French flag flying out of its window in the southern French city.
According to reports, the group surrounded the car and began to try to tear the flag away from its owner when the driver panicked and made a hasty U-turn to cross into the oncoming lane and quickly escape.
While doing so, the teen was dragged under the wheels of the car and suffered fatal injuries. Others present in the crowd were unable to react in time. Authorities said he was transported to a local hospital, but he eventually died after some time.
A shocking video has emerged that captures the moment the group of people who look to be Morocco fans gather around the car that has the French flag flying out of its window.
A large crowd can be seen moving down the street as the car is seen making a U-turn to get away from the group. As the car makes a U-turn and speeds away, the boy can be seen lying in a pool of blood with fatal injuries.
Later, the car was found abandoned.
Shocking Scene in France
It's not the first time during this World Cup that unpleasant post-match incidents have occurred in France. Riot police are struggling to keep the peace as French and Moroccan football fans battled in cities throughout France and Belgium following the World Cup semifinals.
Fans were seen fighting on the streets of Montpellier and Nice in southern France, hurling flares at one another, and setting trash cans on fire while police used batons and water cannons to put out the fires.
Other video shows flares and rockets being hurled as tempers flared following the World Cup game played in Qatar. Before police used tear gas, groups of men were heard screaming at the city's Place de la Comédie as they threw rockets and flares at one another.
Men were seen scooping up chairs off the ground and carrying them while waving French flags in the footage. Fans of France remained in the square to quietly celebrate their victory after the calm had returned.
Also, riot police were stationed on the Champs-Elysees in Paris to help disperse crowds. Social media videos purportedly showed hooded men pursuing Moroccans into the streets after the match ended. Also, similar incidents were reported in Nice and Lyon.
Meanwhile, around 100 Moroccan supporters gathered in Brussels beside Brussels South station and started hurling fireworks and other objects toward rows of riot police but rapidly dispersed when tear gas was used.
A sizable Moroccan diaspora, believed to number approximately one million individuals, is concentrated in Paris and around the Mediterranean coast. France was a former colonial power in Morocco. The French government foresaw trouble and decided to mobilize 10,000 police officers nationwide. Amazingly, 5,000 of them were assigned to the Paris region.
