1 arrested, 12 detained in Brussels riots following nation's shock World Cup loss to Morocco

Belgian police detained a dozen people and made one arrest on Sunday, after Morocco's shock 2-0 World Cup win over Belgium in Qatar triggered riots in Brussels with a car and some electric scooters set on fire.

"Around 7 p.m. calm returned and preventive patrols remain in place in the sectors concerned," police spokesperson Ilse Van de Keere said, according to a Reuters report.

"The rioters used pyrotechnic material, projectiles, sticks, and set fire on the public highway."

"Also, a journalist was injured in the face by fireworks. It is for these reasons that it was decided to proceed with a police intervention, with the deployment of water cannon and the use of tear gas," the police said.

Dozens of fans smashed shop windows, threw fireworks, and torched vehicles.

Even before the end of the match, "dozens of people, including some wearing hoodies, sought confrontation with the police, which compromised public safety", Brussels police said in a statement.

Around a hundred police officers were mobilised, while residents were warned to avoid certain areas of the city centre. Metro stations were closed and streets blocked to limit the spread of the violence.

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