Euphoric celebrations erupted across Paris and other parts of France on Saturday night after Paris Saint-Germain defeated Inter Milan to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
However, the jubilation quickly spiraled into chaos. By Sunday morning, France’s interior ministry reported that 559 people had been arrested nationwide—491 of them in Paris alone. Out of those, 320 were placed in police custody, including 254 in the capital.
Tragically, the celebrations were marred by two fatalities. In Paris, a man in his twenties died in a vehicle collision, an incident that police chief Laurent Nunez said appeared to be linked to the celebrations. In Dax, in the southwest of France, a 17-year-old succumbed to stab wounds, according to French media.
On the Champs-Élysées, where thousands of fans had gathered, scenes turned violent. Bus shelters were shattered, and projectiles were thrown at riot police, prompting authorities to deploy tear gas and water cannons in response.
The interior ministry also reported hundreds of fires across the city, including more than 200 vehicles set ablaze. At least 22 security personnel and seven firefighters sustained injuries during the unrest.
Authorities Brace for More Unrest
Police chief Nunez warned that the situation was not yet over. “We’re at halftime, so to speak,” he said, noting that PSG would hold a celebratory parade on Sunday afternoon on the Champs-Élysées, followed by festivities at the Parc des Princes stadium in the evening.
Attendance for the parade has been capped at just over 100,000 people. “Only those attending the parade will be allowed on site. Beyond that limit, no one else will be permitted entry,” Nunez added.
Authorities also anticipate gatherings around Place de la Porte de Saint-Cloud and have vowed to respond decisively if crowds attempt to block roads, attack law enforcement, or cause damage.
In anticipation of PSG’s potential win, more than 5,400 police officers had already been deployed across the capital, Nunez had confirmed on Friday.
