One, two, three… we know the refrain! Algeria’s epic and late qualification for the quarter-finals of CAN 2025, thanks to Adil Boulbina’s sublime goal after extra time, gave the Algerian people around the world an opportunity to celebrate.
In France, scenes of jubilation in the street after the football exploits of the Fennecs are usual. Sometimes feared. This Tuesday, in some large cities, this qualification gave rise to spontaneous gatherings and collective celebrations. Sometimes forcing the police to intervene.
Barbès station closed for an hour
In Paris, on social networks, a few videos are circulating of a festive gathering in the Barbès district, with a few smoke bombs going off. As a safety measure, RATP stopped serving the station between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. this Tuesday evening.
Same scenes in Lyon, particularly in the Guillotière district. According to Le Progrès, a person was arrested in a generally calm evening, which was supervised by a “major police force”. “According to the authorities, up to 500 people gathered at Place Gabriel-Péri. », specifies the local daily.
The rallies temporarily caused a slowdown in traffic and some traffic jams, which RN deputy for Rhône Tiffany Joncour was very concerned about on X. As in Paris, certain transport stations had to be closed briefly in the evening.
Mortars fired at police in Lille
In the North, in Lille and Roubaix, the authorities also expected potential excesses in the event of an Algerian victory at the CAN. La Voix du Nord reports that “fireworks mortars were fired towards the police” in Lille. Algerian supporters gathered around the Porte des Postes, which was closed to traffic. According to our information, during a maneuver, a police officer was slightly injured without stopping his duty.
Finally, in Roubaix, after Algeria’s three previous matches had “sparked significant crowd movements”, as the city’s mayor recalled, a more muscular security system had been put in place, including concrete blocks and traffic restrictions. This did not prevent the supporters from gathering and some excesses from breaking out. Several videos on social networks show tensions between the crowd and the police, and vehicles and trash cans on fire. Here again, the police were targeted by mortar fire.
Same scenes in Marseille and Toulouse
Same thing in Marseille, on the Old Port, where nearly 2,000 Algerian supporters gathered, supervised by police. This time they were targeted by smoke bombs and other projectiles “from small groups”, specify the authorities.
In Toulouse, where the police were securing the city center and the sensitive Mirail district, “supporters” set fire to four vehicles while others once again targeted the police with fireworks mortars.
