Attacks on police: 17 arrested at Morocco World Cup parties in The Hague & Rotterdam
Police arrested a total of 17 people after celebrations of Morocco’s 2026 World Cup victory over the Netherlands escalated into violence in The Hague and Rotterdam. The officers were targeted by fireworks, stones, and other thrown objects, police reported. The arrests and disturbances happened despite most of Morocco’s fans celebrating with exuberance and an eye towards their squad’s Round of 16 match against Canada on Saturday.
In The Hague, 13 people were arrested after unrest broke out in and around a residential district. Of the 13 arrests in The Hague, four were for public violence. Others were detained for various offenses, including disturbing public order.
After the final whistle, large crowds gathered in the streets of The Hague to celebrate. During the celebrations, heavy fireworks were set off. Police officers were then hit with stones and fireworks. Riot police were deployed and conducted charges to restore order. A water cannon was also used. The unrest led to traffic disruptions and also affected public transportation.
Two individuals were arrested after allegedly firing what police initially believed was a handgun toward officers. It was later determined to be a BB gun. During the arrest, officers used a tactical approach for dangerous suspects, meaning they detained the individuals with firearms drawn.
Police stressed that violence against officers is treated as a serious offense under national policy on violence against police, stating that aggression or violence against police or emergency workers is unacceptable. Authorities said officers must be able to carry out their duties without obstruction and that all cases are prosecuted as a priority, with sentencing demands significantly higher than standard levels.
In a separate incident in Rotterdam, four people were arrested after police shut down celebrations on a central street early Tuesday morning.
Hundreds of Morocco supporters had gathered to celebrate the same World Cup victory over the Netherlands. Police said local rules allow street celebrations for up to 1.5 hours after a match ends. When that time limit expired shortly after 7:30 a.m., officers ordered the crowd to leave.
Not all complied. Police said several officers were surrounded, prompting intervention by riot police. During the incident, a flowerpot was thrown toward officers. Police then cleared the area and later blocked the street with police vehicles.
Authorities said order was quickly restored and that the area returned to normal aside from “a few troublemakers.” The four arrests in Rotterdam were for assault not directed at officers and for disturbing public order.
Earlier in the morning, police had initially described the celebrations in Rotterdam as largely peaceful, noting that around 6:00 a.m. crowds had gathered across the city center after Morocco’s penalty shootout win over the Netherlands.
