Moroccan football hooligans rampage through Casablanca, destroy new trams

RABAT, Morocco – Moroccan football hooligans rampaged through Casablanca, mugging pedestrians and smashing up carriages of the city’s new tram system, cars and public buses. Nearly 200 people have been arrested.

Fans from the capital Rabat paraded through Casablanca before Thursday’s match between clubs from the two cities and attacked people and property. No one was reported injured.

Police said Friday that 193 people were charged with vandalism and the destruction included eight tram carriages, seven public buses and 13 cars. People described on national television being attacked in the streets and mugged by the fans as well.

An inquiry has been launched to discover why more security forces weren’t present.

There is a fierce rivalry between Moroccan football clubs and there have been outbreaks of violence outside games in the past.