A police officer was taken to hospital with head injuries after being hit by a glass bottle during violent disorder in central London early on Friday, following France’s 2-0 World Cup quarter-final win over Morocco. Four people were arrested after the trouble erupted on Edgware Road, near Hyde Park, where crowds blocked traffic before throwing bottles and setting off fireworks at officers. Scotland Yard said the incident escalated after people blocked the road, with the group throwing bottles and fireworks. The injured officer, believed to have been struck by a glass bottle, remains in hospital.
Across the Channel, a 17-year-old girl fell off a truck and died while celebrating France’s victory in the United States. Celebrations in Paris drew hundreds into the streets under the watch of thousands of police officers.
“One police officer injured and four arrested after violent disorder in London following France’s World Cup win over Morocco.”
Elsewhere in the tournament, England’s World Cup preparations were disrupted by a security scare at their Kansas City training base, where a man reportedly entered the building with a wrench before quickly running off after hearing police sirens. Earlier, 42 arrests were made in connection with England’s match against Mexico. FIFA confirmed that Jarell Quansah would be unavailable for England’s quarter-final, a decision that left manager Thomas Tuchel furious. Meanwhile, 27 nations demanded an investigation into the controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card for 12 months.
Belgium’s quarter-final preparations were also rocked by a club-versus-country dispute, with defender Zeno Debast prohibited from playing Spain hours before their match.