Sunday, 31 May 2026
Sunday, 31 May 2026
Paris police detained dozens of people after violence disrupted celebrations late Saturday of Paris Saint-Germain's second Champions League title win and a group tried to storm a police station in the French capital.
Fans began celebrating in Paris after the final whistle earlier in the evening in Budapest, Hungary, where PSG won by beating Arsenal on penalties in a dramatic final.
Fans marched along the avenues near the Arc de Triomphe, with some setting off flares and blaring car horns. Around 20,000 people gathered on the Champs-Elysees, with police working to contain the crowd.
The Paris police prefecture said smaller groups caused disturbances in various locations, with some vandalizing shops and setting fires. Cars were also set ablaze. One police officer was injured. Those who attempted to storm a police station in the posh 8th Arrondissement neighborhood were dispersed, police said.
It said that by 10 p.m., 45 people were taken into custody.
Footage aired on news channel BFM showed scenes of tensions and brief skirmishes around PSG's Parc de Princes stadium in western Paris, where over 40,000 watched the club win its second consecutive title on giant screens.
The main ring road surrounding Paris was briefly blockaded by a crowd before police dispersed it. Police also said one bakery and a restaurant were damaged.
Officers also contained about 1,000 people gathered near the PSG stadium in the 16th Arrondissement and cleared barricades made from bicycles.
In May last year following PSG's first title, when 201 people were injured in the French capital and police made more than 500 arrests across France, Paris was on high alert, with 8,000 police officers deployed across the city.
Used to violent clashes that often overshadow large events, France has deployed 22,000 police to uphold order in the capital. Last year, two people died and close to 200 were injured after PSG won the Champions League for the first time.
