The streets of Paris erupted in celebration after Paris Saint-Germain secured the Champions League title, but the jubilation quickly gave way to chaos as crowds swelled beyond expectations.
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, more than 400 individuals were detained across the country, with nearly 300 of those arrests occurring in the capital alone. Seven police officers sustained injuries as fans set fires, smashed shop windows and attempted to breach a police station in the upscale 8th Arrondissement.
Planned festivities under a watchful eye
Despite the unrest, authorities had scheduled a series of official celebrations for Sunday afternoon at the Champ de Mars, the open space that frames the Eiffel Tower. French President Emmanuel Macron was set to host the PSG squad at the Élysée Palace later that day, underscoring the government's desire to channel the excitement into a controlled ceremony.
The fan frenzy was not confined to Paris. Earlier that evening, supporters gathered on the Champs‑Élysées, where police worked to contain a crowd of roughly 20,000 people. Smaller groups broke off to vandalize storefronts and ignite fires, while attempts to storm a police station were swiftly dispersed by officers.
The scene echoed a similar episode from the previous year, when PSG's first domestic trophy sparked riots that left 201 people injured and more than 500 arrests nationwide. This time, the violence spread to about fifteen cities, underscoring the growing scale of the disturbances.
While the celebrations were meant to be a unifying moment for French football, the night’s events highlighted the fine line between public jubilation and civil disorder, prompting authorities to remain on high alert as the festivities continued.