Media365
More than 400 people were arrested and seven police officers were injured across France after celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph descended into violence, authorities said on Sunday.According to the French interior ministry, 416 people were detained nationwide, including 283 in Paris, as clashes broke out between police and supporters after PSG’s victory in the Champions League final in Budapest.Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said seven police officers were injured during the unrest and described the violence as “absolutely unacceptable”.French authorities had deployed around 22,000 police officers across the country for the match, including 8,000 in Paris, amid concerns over possible disturbances. Despite extensive security measures, including the closure of several metro stations, tram lines and bus routes, large crowds gathered across the capital.Police said about 20,000 supporters converged on the Champs-Elysees following PSG’s dramatic penalty shootout win. Six vehicles and two businesses were damaged during the disturbances. A group of supporters also briefly blocked traffic on the Paris ring road, known as the peripherique, while setting off flares.Near PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where tens of thousands watched the final on giant screens, clashes erupted after thousands gathered outside the venue. Police said around 150 people attempted to enter through one of the stadium gates but were pushed back by officers.Authorities also reported that projectiles and fireworks were thrown at police near the stadium, prompting officers to respond with tear gas. A bakery and a restaurant in the area were damaged, while attempts to erect barricades using rental bicycles were quickly cleared by police.Ahead of the match, businesses along the Champs-Elysees boarded up windows to avoid a repeat of the unrest that followed PSG’s Champions League success last year. Police seized about 100 fireworks and two dozen flares during Saturday night’s operations, while a bus shelter near the avenue was destroyed.The violence drew criticism from far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who wrote on X that “only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots.”Nunez defended the security arrangements, saying there was a “very robust, very solid system in place” to contain violence.PSG players are expected to take part in a victory parade on Sunday near the Eiffel Tower, with around 100,000 supporters anticipated, before being received by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.
