Celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League triumph over Arsenal descended into violence across France, leaving 219 people injured and prompting the arrest of 780 individuals, authorities said on Sunday.
The unrest broke out after PSG defeated Arsenal on penalties in the Champions League final, triggering large gatherings in Paris and other parts of the country. Clashes between supporters and security forces disrupted public transport services and led to extensive police operations overnight.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said eight of those injured were in serious condition. He also confirmed that 57 police officers sustained injuries during the disturbances.
Authorities reported that more than 450 of those arrested remained in custody as investigations continued.
A 24-year-old man was also found dead following an accident on Paris’s ring road near Porte Maillot. The circumstances surrounding the incident were still unclear, although witnesses said the victim had been riding a motorcycle before crashing into concrete barriers.
In a separate incident, a teenager was left in critical condition following a brawl in another part of the French capital. Officials have not confirmed whether the incident was linked to the football-related violence.
Thousands of police officers had been deployed across Paris in anticipation of large celebrations. Despite the security presence, disturbances erupted in several locations, disrupting bus, train and rail services.
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The Champs-Élysées was packed with supporters shortly after PSG secured victory. Footage circulating on social media showed flares being set off, electric motorcycles burning on roads and damage to commercial properties.
Police responded by firing tear gas to disperse crowds in parts of the city centre.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, offences recorded during the unrest included attacks on police officers, destruction of property, theft and illegal possession of weapons.
Of the arrests made in Paris, 277 individuals were taken into custody, including 82 minors.
Speaking on Sunday, Nuñez said security forces would continue to take a tough stance against any further disturbances.
“We are a great country for maintaining public order. We allow freedom of assembly, but not excesses,” he said.
The minister added that while most supporters celebrated peacefully, some individuals used the occasion to engage in criminal activities.
“The vast majority go out to celebrate and it goes very well,” the French interior minister said on Sunday.
“But other individuals, who are not PSG supporters, who don’t even watch the match, come to cause trouble and disturbances. We are here to prevent them from doing so. Our response is very firm.”
French authorities have mobilised about 6,000 police officers ahead of PSG’s victory parade scheduled for Sunday near the Eiffel Tower.
The celebrations are expected to include an open-top bus parade through the Champ-de-Mars area, followed by a reception hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The scenes echoed those witnessed after PSG’s previous Champions League success, when celebrations also turned violent and resulted in fatalities.
Political reactions have already begun to emerge, with Marine Le Pen criticising the disorder on social media.
“Only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots,” she wrote.
“Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence,” she said.
(BBC)
