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Violence erupts after PSG Champions League victory
Clashes between football fans and police in Paris left 219 people injured, including eight in serious condition, following Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Champions League final win over Arsenal. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the toll as authorities struggled to contain widespread unrest.
Mass arrests and disruptions
Police detained 780 individuals, with over 450 remaining in custody, Nuñez said. The violence disrupted public transport, including buses, trains, and rail services across the capital. A 24-year-old man died in an accident on Paris's ring road after rioters attempted to block the area overnight.
In Paris alone, 480 arrests were made, with 277 held in custody, including 82 minors. The Paris prosecutor's office reported offenses ranging from assaults on officers to property damage, theft, and illegal weapon possession.
Chaos on the streets
Fans flooded the Champs-Élysées shortly after PSG's penalty shootout victory. Videos showed flares ignited, electric bikes set ablaze, and shopfronts smashed. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds in central Paris.
The circumstances of the 24-year-old's death near Porte Maillot remain unclear. Witnesses suggested he crashed his motorcycle into concrete blocks placed by rioters. Separately, a teenager was critically injured in a brawl unrelated to the football celebrations.
Government response and criticism
Nuñez vowed a firm security response, stating, "We allow freedom of assembly, but not excesses." He noted that while most fans celebrated peacefully, others-unaffiliated with PSG-exploited the event to cause chaos.
"Only in France does a football club's victory spark riots."
Marine Le Pen, far-right leader, on X
Le Pen added, "Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid violence."
Victory parade plans proceed
Despite the unrest, PSG players are set to participate in a victory parade on Sunday. The event includes a tour of the Champ-de-Mars near the Eiffel Tower and a reception hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Authorities deployed 6,000 police officers to secure the parade.
Nuñez emphasized, "Our response is very firm. We are a great country for maintaining public order."
