Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final victory sparked violent clashes in the French capital, resulting in the arrest of over 280 people. The city’s iconic Champs-Elysees avenue was filled with thousands of fans, who poured onto the streets to celebrate the team’s win. However, the celebrations quickly turned sour as fans began to clash with police, leading to the arrest of 283 people in Paris and 416 nationwide.
Unrest and Violence
According to the French interior ministry, seven police officers were wounded during the clashes, and six vehicles and two businesses were damaged. A group of supporters also stormed the Paris ring road, bringing traffic to a halt for a time and letting off flares. The interior minister, Laurent Nunez, condemned the unrest as ‘absolutely unacceptable’.
Shops had boarded up their windows ahead of the match to avoid a repeat of disturbances last year, when youths ransacked shops on the Champs-Elysees and other streets. Despite these precautions, a bakery and a restaurant were damaged near PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where tens of thousands gathered to watch the match.
Police Response
Police had deployed 22,000 officers across France for the game, including 8,000 in Paris, in an effort to minimize disturbances. However, the large number of fans and the intensity of the celebrations proved to be a challenge for the authorities. Two dozen flares and about 100 fireworks were seized, and a bus shelter was destroyed near the Champs-Elysees.
The match also coincided with other events in Paris, including a concert by singer Aya Nakamura at the Stade de France national stadium and the French Open tennis tournament. The city’s police force was stretched to the limit, with officers responding to multiple incidents of violence and disorder.
For more information on the French police force and their response to public disorder, visit the Wikipedia page on the National Police. The French government has also established a number of initiatives to tackle violence and disorder in the country, including the Ministry of the Interior website.
- 283 people arrested in Paris
- 416 people arrested nationwide
- 7 police officers wounded
- 6 vehicles and 2 businesses damaged
