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780 Arrested Overnight in Riots
About 600 Arrested After Last Year’s First Title, Too
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) clinched the UEFA Champions League title. As celebratory crowds gathered, scenes devolved into widespread violence, arson and looting, and police arrested 780 people.
On the 31st (local time), France 24 and other outlets reported that the interior ministry said authorities made 780 arrests nationwide, including in the Paris metropolitan area, and detained 457 people.
This marks PSG’s second consecutive Champions League title. Last year, PSG’s victory similarly drew crowds that escalated into large-scale riots. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the number of arrests rose by 32% compared with last year’s first Champions League title for PSG. Authorities arrested 592 people nationwide last year, and two people died in those disturbances.
French police had prepared for trouble after PSG reached the UCL final. They deployed about 22,000 officers across the country and suspended trams, subways and buses in Paris.
As feared, crowds surged after PSG’s win, triggering significant unrest. About 20,000 people converged on the Champs-Élysées; some smashed shop windows and set cars ablaze. France 24 reported clashes also broke out near PSG’s home stadium between police and supporters.
Nunez said the situation across France was largely under control and that police prevented five separate overnight attempts to block Paris’s ring road.
Despite the nationwide violence that followed the victory, Paris staged multiple celebratory events. In the afternoon, players paraded on the Champ de Mars south of the Eiffel Tower, drawing as many as 100,000 fans. President Emmanuel Macron hosted a reception at the Élysée Palace, and supporters held separate celebrations at PSG’s home stadium.
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