A Celebration Turns Chaotic
The French capital erupted in cheers on Saturday night as thousands of supporters flooded the streets of Paris to mark Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph. The victory, sealed in Budapest where PSG edged Arsenal on penalties, sparked a wave of jubilation that quickly spilled over into several French cities.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that police had detained 780 individuals nationwide, while 57 officers sustained injuries, most of them minor. The minister emphasized that the majority of the festivities remained peaceful, but a small number of groups engaged in vandalism and confrontations.
Violent incidents were concentrated around the Champs‑Élysées and the vicinity of Parc des Princes, where police intervened five times to keep traffic flowing on the périphérique. Smaller disturbances were reported in roughly fifteen towns, with shop windows smashed and trash cans set ablaze in several locations.
Looking Back at a Pattern of Unrest
Authorities have placed 277 suspects in formal custody, including 82 minors, on charges ranging from assault to theft and public disorder. A separate accident saw a car plough into a restaurant terrace, wounding two patrons, one of whom suffered serious injuries.
Despite the chaos, the planned celebration at Champ de Mars, the open space near the Eiffel Tower, will go ahead as scheduled. President Emmanuel Macron is set to host the PSG squad at the Élysée Palace later in the week, underscoring the government's commitment to honoring the team while maintaining public order.
A year earlier, PSG's first domestic title had prompted 201 injuries and over 500 arrests across the country, indicating that the pattern of exuberant yet sometimes destructive celebrations is not new. Officials hope that the presence of high‑level officials and the structured nature of this weekend's events will curb any repeat of that violence.