The moves witnessed in Senegal demanding the release of fans detained following the violence that marked the African Cup final sparked widespread outrage, especially given that the incidents were documented with audio and video. Direct assaults on security forces, attempted assaults on photographers, vandalism of the Moulay Abdellah Stadium, and smashing advertising boards in front of the world’s cameras… These are clear criminal acts that cannot be justified or reduced to mere “fan enthusiasm.”
Any official discourse that demands the release of those involved in rioting and vandalism, instead of letting justice take its course, represents a dangerous滑坡 and sends a negative message that violence can be negotiated. Defending vandals or attempting diplomatic pressure to evade punishment fundamentally undermines the principle of the rule of law and encourages the repetition of such behaviors in the future.
The issue is not an opinion or a sports dispute, but rather acts punishable by law, committed on Moroccan soil and before the eyes of the world. Any attempt to politicize the matter or portray it as a case of “national solidarity” is a disregard for the facts and an unacceptable blackmail of a sovereign state.
Conversely, some organizational errors that accompanied the event cannot be overlooked and must be clearly acknowledged to avoid their recurrence in the future. Prominent among these was allocating stands directly behind the goal for the visiting team’s fans, placing them very close to the field, instead of adopting a distribution that ensures maximum safety distance. Questions were also raised about inspection and entry mechanisms, the strictness of checking certain materials later used in vandalism, in addition to the insufficient physical separation between some sensitive areas within the stands.
These shortcomings do not justify the crime, but they necessitate a deep review of the management of major matches in the future, especially when it comes to high-stakes or sensitive regional matchups.
Nevertheless, the principle remains clear: those who assaulted and vandalized must be held accountable according to Moroccan law, without succumbing to any pressure or bargaining. The rule of law is not a subject for negotiation, and stadium security and the country’s image are red lines. Relations between states are built on mutual respect, not on justifying hooliganism or attempting to twist arms.
