Urgent correspondence from the French Interior Ministry ahead of the Algeria-Nigeria match: A strict warning against the chaos of Algerian fans
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has sent an urgent message to regional governors, urging them to enhance security vigilance and activate all available powers to prevent a repeat of the chaos and disturbances that accompanied celebrations after the Algerian national team’s qualification for the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
This step comes just a few days before the quarter-final and semi-final matches, amid growing concerns among French authorities about the potential for sports events to become a direct threat to public order, as previous celebrations in several major cities have veered off the sporting track.
According to French media reports, the correspondence was prompted by incidents observed by security agencies during the celebrations that followed Algeria’s victory. Crowds gathered in cities such as Paris, Lyon, Lille, and Marseille, with some areas experiencing acts of vandalism, the use of prohibited fireworks, and assaults on police officers.
In Paris, the “Barbès” area experienced what were described as sensitive security incidents, including the lighting of flares and fireworks in public streets, prompting the Paris transport company to halt metro services at the concerned station for a full hour, reflecting the significant fears of the situation spiraling out of control.
In Lille, more intense security interventions occurred, with gunfire directed at police officers during the dispersal of unauthorized gatherings, resulting in minor injuries to one officer, an incident the authorities deemed a serious breach of the established limits.
The French Interior Ministry believes that the simultaneous occurrence of these events in multiple cities, following similar patterns, no longer qualifies as isolated cases; rather, it reflects a recurring collective behavior that necessitates a more stringent security and legal approach.
In this context, the ministerial correspondence emphasized the need to mobilize and coordinate various security services, activate administrative police tools—especially concerning the prohibition of selling and trading explosive materials—and tighten surveillance during match periods, along with cracking down on all forms of unlawful occupation of public property and disruption of traffic.
The correspondence also called for the strict enforcement of legal measures against those involved in acts of violence or vandalism, including the possibility of revoking or canceling residence permits for foreigners, and close coordination with judicial authorities to ensure immediate follow-up on violations.
The message clearly indicates that the warning is linked to events following Algeria’s qualification, marking a shift in the French official narrative, which previously sought to delineate between sports and the behavior of certain fans, before recent developments necessitated a reassessment of this separation.
These developments come against a backdrop of heightened internal tensions in France, intertwining issues of security, immigration, and integration, with the approach of crucial matches in the Africa Cup of Nations increasing authorities’ fears of a repeat or escalation of chaos in the coming days.
