The Diplomat in Spain

The Diplomat

The Moroccan Embassy in Spain has carried out an awareness campaign through its twelve consulates throughout the country to appeal to the responsibility before the match between the Moroccan national team and the Spanish team in the World Cup in Qatar with the aim that the celebrations do not go beyond the sporting environment.

As sources of the Moroccan Embassy have informed Europa Press, a note of “sensitization” has been sent to all the consulates -Madrid, Seville, Alicante, Murcia, Algeciras, Valencia, Tarragona, Gerona, Barcelona, Bilbao, Palma and Las Palmas- so that they make this message reach the Moroccan civil society.

The match has to be a “party” but “our pride and passion have to be limited to the sport”, respecting the security and the rules, underline the sources, who have defended that the more than one million Moroccans who reside in Spain are “a community of peace and tolerance”.

The clash between Spain and Morocco in the round of 16 of the World Cup has sparked a campaign on social networks, with numerous memes included, for fear that scenes of altercations and violence could be repeated as those recorded in Belgium, where there were clashes with security forces and burned cars after the victory of the Moroccan team against the Belgian team in the group stage.

Both the Consulate in Seville and the one in Almeria have issued two communiqués in line with the Embassy’s request. Thus, the one of Seville has appealed to the Moroccans in this city to “maintain the sporting spirit, noble values and a responsible and exemplary behavior” after the match and to avoid crowded places so that confrontations do not take place.

The Almeria has also moved a similar message, asking for “sensitivity” to avoid attitudes that can lead to “clashes between supporters and fans” of one and the other selection and “avoid” possible “disturbances” while has encouraged to show “sportsmanship and good manners”.

On the other hand, the National Police, the Deputy Operational Directorate (DAO) of the Civil Guard and the regional police have put all their units on alert and have reinforced their devices according to the number of Moroccan citizens registered in each Spanish municipality, after the riots that occurred in Belgium and the Netherlands after the last victories of the Moroccan national team.