PARIS — Recent festivities celebrating Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) triumphant win in the Champions League culminated in further disturbances, leading to the detention of 79 more individuals, according to statements made on Monday by Paris’s chief of police.
Following PSG’s return to the French capital after their resounding 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League final, over 100,000 fans gathered to celebrate. Despite the jubilant atmosphere, a second night of unrest unfolded with sporadic incidents reported throughout Paris.
Laurent Nunez, the police prefect of Paris, explained during an RTL radio interview that late-night gatherings formed near the PSG stadium and along the Champs-Elysees. Individuals engaged in disruptive behavior by using barriers to temporarily block the primary ring road encircling Paris. Additional unrest included setting off fireworks and attempted shop vandalism.
By 3:30 a.m. on Monday, police had regained control over the situation. Earlier, PSG held a celebratory open-top bus parade through the city for its supporters. The newly crowned champions of European club soccer concluded their celebrations by parading along the iconic Champs-Élysées, which suffered from acts of violence and confrontations with riot police on Saturday night.
On that night, law enforcement agencies conducted over 500 arrests across France. Nunez remarked on the exceptional nature of these occurrences, noting the arrest count as unprecedented. While the majority of celebrations unfolded peacefully, there were outbreaks of violence in certain areas. Tragically, a 17-year-old boy lost his life due to a stabbing incident during a PSG street festivity in the western city of Dax. Simultaneously, in Paris, a man in his twenties died after his scooter collided with a car amidst the celebrations.
These incidents call for reflection on both the joyous and tumultuous events that can arise during significant sports triumphs, emphasizing the importance of maintaining order and safety during public festivities.