The streets of Paris erupted in chaos late on Sunday night, just hours after Paris Saint‑Germain secured the UEFA Champions League crown in Budapest, defeating Arsenal in a dramatic 4‑3 shoot‑out after a 1‑1 draw in extra time.
Hundreds of supporters took the celebration into the capital’s avenues, smashing shop windows, overturning vehicles and setting fire to storefronts, while seven police officers were injured in the melee.
Political Reactions Echo Across France
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez denounced the disorder as “absolutely unacceptable,” and President Emmanuel Macron is slated to receive the victorious squad on Sunday afternoon at the Champ‑de‑Mars, where a victory parade is planned.
On the social platform X, far‑right leader Marine Le Pen condemned the riots, asserting that only in France does a football triumph ignite such violence, and she warned that the “brainless thugs” are tarnishing the nation’s image.
Valérie Pécresse, president of the Île‑de‑France region, called for swift sanctions against the perpetrators, emphasizing that the unrest threatens both Paris and the broader reputation of France.
A City Remembering Past Unrest
The disturbances recall the riots that followed PSG’s earlier domestic double in 2023, which resulted in more than 500 arrests and two fatalities, a trauma officials are eager to avoid repeating.
As the club prepares to parade through the capital, authorities are deploying additional security measures, hoping to restore order before the team’s arrival at the presidential palace.