Tensions flared at the Étangs Noirs metro station in Brussels on Sunday evening following Morocco’s football defeat against Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Fireworks were set off, barriers were thrown, and an explosive device detonated in the middle of the square, according to Belga News Agency.
Several hundred people gathered around the metro station in the Molenbeek-Saint-Jean area, with adjacent streets bustling with mopeds.
As of 10:45 pm, police officers were not visibly deployed in the vicinity.
A group of volunteers, including local officials from the municipality, worked to defuse the situation and calm tensions.
In Antwerp, police were also confronted with disturbances. A De Lijn bus was pelted with eggs and stones were thrown at officers. Nine people were arrested. Police said the situation became more tense around midnight, but did not develop into full-scale riots.
Belgium's interior minister Bernard Quintin (MR) condemned the violence, stating that "the time for excuses is over."
Quintin called for those responsible to face the strictest punishment and to pay for all damage caused, adding that violent groups are damaging neighbourhoods and harming the image of entire communities.
The Africa Cup final itself was also marked by unrest. On the pitch, heated protests followed a disputed penalty decision, with players briefly leaving the field. FIFA president Gianni Infantino later condemned the "unacceptable scenes" during the match and called for disciplinary action.
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This article was updated at 1:20 p.m.
