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World Cup 2022: Teen dies after being run over in France amid football unrest

Celebrations for France's qualification to the World Cup final marred by clashes between right-wing football fans and people supporting Morocco
Moroccan and French fans clash following last nights semi-finals game (AFP)

A 14-year-old boy died in the French city of Montpellier after being hit by a car following the France-Morocco game on Wednesday night.  

Footage circulating online shows the moment two boys are run over. One managed to walk away largely unscathed, while another was seen lying unconscious on the street.

Another video showed Moroccan fans attempting to take the flag before the driver made a sudden u-turn running the boy over. Although the victim's identity is strongly believed to be Moroccan, it has not been officially confirmed. 

The driver fled the scene and, according to the French police, "the vehicle was found near the scene of the accident and placed in sequestration".

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Clashes between people supporting Morocco and alleged right-wing groups were reported across France.

French journalist Sihame Assbague tweeted that in Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, extreme right-wing groups "attacked supporters of Morocco, sometimes with cries of 'outside the Arabs' & 'France for the French'".

French authorities have been accused of discrimination for not allowing public venues to show Morocco's match against Portugal last week, citing fears of disorder.

"For days, we have been told about the possibility of violence from Moroccan fans after the match," said French journalist Feiza Ben Mohamed. "But it is the ultra-right mobilised all over the country, which has formed militias and sabotaged the party with violence in Nice, Montpellier or Lyon," she added.

Another eyewitness reporting for the French newspaper Le Figaro in Nice said that hooded men chased Moroccan fans with chants of "we are at home", with the different sides throwing fireworks at each other.

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