The Brussels municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean is gearing up for the Africa Cup final on Sunday night where Morocco will face Senegal at 20:00.
Previous matches involving Morocco’s national team, known as the Atlas Lions, led to disturbances, prompting the municipality to deploy around 50 volunteers to help ensure the evening remains calm. Local police are also prepared to intervene if necessary.
Deputy Mayor Saliha Raïss stated that the entire college of mayor and aldermen will take to the streets at 22:00 after the match. Dressed in fluorescent vests, they aim to engage with individuals causing or threatening to cause disruption. Raïss emphasised that young people attacking emergency services should face punishment but stressed that efforts should focus on preventing such scenarios.
Acting Mayor Amet Gjanaj, stepping in for Mayor Catherine Moureaux, will join the volunteers in the initiative. He said a similar strategy proved effective on Wednesday night and hopes the increased efforts will ensure safety tonight. Gjanaj added that the ultimate hope is for the evening to be a celebratory event. After visiting the streets, he will monitor developments from the municipality’s crisis centre.
