France’s large Algerian community exploded with joy Thursday night after the former French colony drew 1-1 against Russia to qualify for the knock-out round of the World Cup.
In Paris, hundreds of supporters draped in Algerian flags converged on the Champs-Elysées, while the sound of car horns blaring in celebration was heard across the city late into the night.
The same scenes, largely peaceful and good natured, were played out in cities across France, with jubilant crowds outside bars and in town centres joyously and noisily welcoming Algeria’s first-ever foray beyond the group stage of the World Cup with car horns and fireworks.
In 1982, West Germany denied Algeria a place in the second round by deliberately playing out an infamous match with Austria that finished 1-0 to the Germans.
The result, achieved by lacklustre play on both sides after the winning goal had been scored, qualified both European teams and knocked the Algerians out of the tournament.
Three decades later, the 1982 “insult” has not been forgotten, and Algerians in France and at home are desperate to right the historic wrong when they face Germany on June 30.
Riot police out in force
Sadly, the celebrations in France did not pass without incident.
In the southern port city of Marseille, which has a huge population of Algerian descent, police dispersed supporters with tear gas after stones were thrown at two officers.
Similar scenes played out in Lyon, in south-eastern France, where riot police were out in force ahead of the match result.
The city was already tense after Algeria’s victory over South Korea at the weekend. Three supporters had been arrested, and an inquiry was opened on Wednesday into alleged police aggression.
On Thursday night, large crowds, often in families and largely law-abiding, celebrated in the city centre amid a large police presence which resorted to tear gas and water canon to prevent some members of the crowd from entering some shopping areas of the city.
In a bid to prevent an all-out confrontation, the city authorities on Thursday had banned the French far-right “Identity” group from holding an “anti-hooligan” demonstration on the grounds that it would have been overtly provocative.
Source: France24