Police officer taken to hospital after clashes with Morocco fans in London

Riot police were deployed to central London on Thursday night after an officer was taken to hospital following clashes with Morocco fans, The Telegraph reported.

After France beat Morocco 2-0 in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, crowds flowed on to Edgware Road, where some people set off fireworks and pelted officers with debris.

An officer was injured after being hit over the head with a glass bottle, police said.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the street in north west London after a group of people congregated in the road and blocked traffic.

A police spokesman said: “The incident then escalated with the group throwing bottles and setting off fireworks. As a result, further officers were deployed to the area.

“One officer was taken to hospital for head injuries; it is believed he had been hit by a glass bottle. No other injuries were reported.

“Officers remained in the area and made four arrests for violent disorder, with the group dispersing and the road re-opened from around 1am.”

They added: “We will not tolerate such disorder on our streets, or attacks on our officers.

“A police presence will remain in the area overnight and we will be reviewing CCTV and video footage circulating on social media to ensure all those responsible are brought to justice.”

Footage shared on social media showed several dozen officers in full riot gear walking on the street amid scattered broken glass and rubbish.

Several officers were seen kneeling over a person who was lying motionless on the ground and appeared to be injured.

Approximately a dozen officers were encircled by rioters, who threw smoke bombs and bottles and shouted in unison at the officers.

In one video, four young men perched on top of a phone box waved a Palestinian flag and a white football jersey as a large crowd gathered around them and cheered.

One of the men was wearing a cap with what appeared to be a Moroccan flag attached to it.

Several green fireworks were detonated, prompting multiple people nearby to scream and flee.

Those who remained began to applaud as the men on top of the phone box waved the Palestinian flag a second time.

In another area of the road, a shirtless man was seen climbing a traffic light above a separate crowd of more young men, some of whom wore red shirts that appeared to be Morocco jerseys.