An assault on an Algerian boy in Boston sparks the anger of activists and calls for an investigation sports

A video clip circulating on social media platforms revealed that the 14-year-old Algerian boy, Wassim, was assaulted by Moroccan fans in the fan zone in the American city of Boston while watching the Moroccan national team’s match against the Netherlands in the 2026 World Cup.

The boy was taken to the hospital after the incident, and spent more than 8 hours under medical examination and observation, according to what was reported by Algerian media, which held the Moroccan public responsible for the attack, while Moroccan media criticized the “politicization” of the incident and reliance on “unconfirmed narratives.”

Circulating video clips showed the moment of the attack, but other scenes documented Moroccan fans checking on the boy’s health and telling him: “We are with you, my brother,” in a scene that added another dimension to the mixed interaction surrounding the incident.

Reports indicated that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune followed the case personally, and announced that his country’s embassy in Washington was assigned to follow up on it with the American security and judicial authorities, while the Algerian Minister of Sports invited the boy to attend the Algeria-Switzerland match, in a symbolic step to support him.

According to the episode (7/3/2026) of the “Shabakat” program, the views of the tweeters varied between three main axes, as one group demanded that the aggressors be held accountable, others considered that the incident was used to confuse the Moroccan national team, while another group called for avoiding strife and not generalizing the accusation against the Moroccan people.

Tweeter Fawzi believed that American law would be strict with the aggressors and tweeted:

In America, they do not tolerate cases of group beatings. There will be harsh penalties against anyone proven to be involved in beating a minor.

For her part, tweeter Nancy commented, pointing out that the incident was intended to confuse Morocco and wrote:

God is sufficient for us. The official Boston Police website did not talk about any incident. Is all this for the purpose of disturbing the Moroccan national team?

While activist Taj El-Din described the attackers as suffering from a false sense of power and tweeted:

A large group has a false sense of power that blinds them to the fact that they are bullying a 14-year-old child, and they believe that their action will pass as a “passing playground riot.”

From another angle, tweeter Malek pointed out that the boy’s nationality plays another role in this case and wrote:

This is an American child. The American authorities are more deserving of him and will do him justice. What does Algeria have to do with the matter? Or is it love of strife?

In the same context, activist Sayed Ahmed called for avoiding strife, and wrote:

The Algerians support the Moroccans and vice versa in their matches in the World Cup. There is a derby and disagreement, but it is not true that it amounts to assault. Whoever hit this boy does not represent Morocco or the Moroccan people. Let us stop strife. We are tired of all this.