The video has circulated widely on social media. It shows a young man of Algerian descent traveling to Morocco with his family for a vacation, while also attending the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, held from December 21 to January 18. However, he claims his trip took an unexpected turn when he was arrested and detained following an incident during the final between Senegal and the host country.
According to his account, Lyèce Mouri was in the stands, far from the areas where tensions erupted after the match. He insists he was arrested even though he wasn’t involved in the chaos. “I wasn’t moving. I was ten rows back from the pitch,” he explains, denying any participation in the incidents.
He also recounts the circumstances of his arrest: “A few minutes after the match ended, while we were waiting for the trophy presentation, two plainclothes Moroccan police officers approached me in the stands. First, they spoke to me in Arabic. I told them, ‘Sorry, I don’t understand.’ Then in French: ‘Can we ask you a quick question? Don’t worry, it’s just for information.’ We went up the stairs and suddenly, ten police officers jumped on me, beat me, and forcibly took me to the station.”
After being taken to the stadium police station, he claims he was questioned about his identity and family origins. “At the stadium station, I waited a long time. When they finally questioned me, I explained everything. ‘Look, I came with my family.’ I showed my French passport. The officer said, ‘Yes, your mother is French, but where was she born?’ I replied, ‘In Algeria.’ Suddenly, his face changed, his attitude changed,” he reports.
Lyèce #Mouri, a Frenchman of Algerian descent and brother of a member of the Lions of Teranga 🇸🇳 staff, was incarcerated between January and April 2026 in #Morocco after being accused of violence during the final of the #CAN2025 between Morocco and #Senegal at the Complex… pic.twitter.com/qr5f7TNICl
— Nassima Elyazidi 🪶 (@nasima_elyazidi) June 6, 2026
He continues, saying he was then placed in detention, where several accusations were leveled against him: “In the end, they threw me into the van. Off to police custody, and the next day, I was told I had hit a police officer, that I had entered the pitch, that I had broken equipment, and that I threw a bottle. I said, ‘I worked for three years in a stadium. Show me the cameras, it’s impossible to lie in a stadium.’”
Despite his protests, he remained detained for an extended period before being released following a royal pardon on May 23. This decision, according to the authorities, was part of a desire for reconciliation and to preserve relations between the countries involved.
