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Joy at reaching the summit of European football quickly devolved into chaos and violence. When Lee Kang‑in’s club, Paris Saint‑Germain (PSG), secured the UEFA Champions League title, celebrations across France spiraled into large‑scale riots.
Laurent Nunez, France’s interior minister, said at a press briefing on the 31st (local time) that authorities arrested 780 people after disturbances by football fans in Paris and other major cities. Of those arrested, 592 were detained in Paris and the surrounding metropolitan area, and 457 people were placed in police custody nationwide.
The scale of the unrest was unprecedented. Nunez noted the number of arrests represents roughly a 32% increase from last year’s nationwide total of 592 arrests (491 in Paris) following PSG’s first Champions League triumph. What began as jubilation has increasingly erupted into uncontrollable destruction.
The crackdown produced numerous injuries. Police and gendarmes suffered 57 injuries in physical confrontations with agitated fans, and 219 civilians were reported hurt. In a tragic incident on the Paris ring road, a motorcyclist collided with a concrete barrier placed to block entry to the city and died.
French authorities had prepared extensively for the final, deploying about 22,000 officers nationwide and suspending trams, subways and buses across central Paris to try to maintain order.
But once the win was confirmed, security forces struggled to contain surging crowds. The Champs‑Élysées, where roughly 20,000 fans gathered, quickly descended into lawlessness. Some groups smashed storefront windows, looted businesses and set parked cars ablaze.
Violent clashes also erupted near Parc des Princes, PSG’s home stadium. After some hardcore supporters hurled dangerous firecrackers at riot police, officers deployed tear gas and moved in to disperse the crowds.
Despite the overnight riots, tension rose as city officials planned to proceed with PSG’s victory events. Organizers expect up to 90,000 people to attend a players’ parade on the Champ de Mars, south of the Eiffel Tower. President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to host a reception at the Élysée Palace, followed by additional celebrations at the club’s stadium, and French police have returned to high alert to prevent further unrest.
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