A car burns and fireworks explode as police watch PSG supporters celebrate in Paris (AP Photo)
The celebrations following Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph over Arsenal were overshadowed by widespread disorder across France, with authorities confirming 780 arrests overnight and multiple serious incidents reported nationwide.PSG secured a dramatic victory in Budapest on Saturday, sparking scenes of jubilation among supporters in Paris and other cities. Thousands flooded public spaces to celebrate the club’s latest European success, but the festivities quickly turned chaotic in several locations.French authorities had anticipated potential trouble and deployed around 22,000 police officers and security personnel across the country. Despite the extensive operation, clashes broke out between groups of supporters and law enforcement officers in a number of areas.Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said police faced an unusually high number of fireworks being launched directly at officers during the disturbances. Addressing reporters on Sunday, he revealed that dozens of members of the security forces had been hurt during the unrest.“There had been ‘219 participants injured in France, including eight seriously’.”He also confirmed that 57 police officers and other security personnel suffered injuries while responding to incidents.The celebrations were further marred by tragedy. According to the Paris public prosecutor’s office, a man in his twenties died after his motocross bike crashed into concrete barriers on an exit ramp of the Paris ring road.Authorities also reported another serious incident in the capital, where a young man sustained severe injuries in a knife attack that investigators believe may have been linked to a robbery.Beyond Paris, incidents of violence and disorder were recorded across the country. Nunez said a limited number of thefts and looting incidents took place in approximately fifteen cities, while disturbances were reported in 71 municipalities.The scale of the unrest exceeded last year’s celebrations following PSG’s previous Champions League success. According to the interior minister, the total number of arrests represented a 32 percent increase compared to the figures recorded during the club’s title celebrations a year earlier.Attention now turns to Sunday’s victory parade in Paris. Around 100,000 supporters are expected to gather near the Eiffel Tower to welcome the players before the squad travels to the Elysee Palace for a reception hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.Nunez warned that authorities would maintain a heavy security presence throughout the celebrations.“A strong law enforcement response” would be deployed, he said, while also warning that anyone attempting to block traffic or enter the Paris ring road illegally could face financial penalties.The violence has also reignited debate over how major football celebrations should be managed in the French capital. The mayor of Paris’s 8th arrondissement, which includes the Champs-Elysees, argued that banning mass gatherings on the famous avenue was the only practical solution after Saturday’s events.In a statement, the town hall said:“Champs-Elysees avenue and its surroundings ceased to be a place of celebration and became an arena of urban guerrilla warfare”.It added: “Since it has become impossible to celebrate a match without descending into riots, the only common sense response is a new doctrine: ‘zero gatherings’.”Nunez rejected the proposal, arguing that implementing such a measure would consume a vast portion of available security resources. Nearly 6,000 police officers and gendarmes have been assigned to oversee Sunday’s events as authorities attempt to ensure that PSG’s celebrations proceed without further serious incidents.
